Evening star., 1940-11-21
Release Of Bombers
Been Aid for Britain S
bpring Offensive
Sperry Bombsiehts
Included; Croft Can
Cover All Battle Zone
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.

BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.
First concrete evidence of an
American industrial campaign to
support Great Britain's anticipated |
6pring offensive against the axis
powers was seen today in the release !
by the Army OF its priority Oh 26 |
-Four -engined Consolidated lombard
|mert airplanes of the Flying Fort
bess' type and Sperry bomb sights
10 go with them.
1t was learned today that deliv-
Ieries Of the air giants may begin at |
|bnCe so training of British crews .
may be started without delay. 1t also |
|Was indicated that American Army |
officers Will accompany them to .
fheck on design and performance
"details.
The Consolidated deliveries may |
lot be completed until March l. bu
the meantime, the United State |
l. 20 will release 10 Britain 20 of e .
| est model Boeing Flying Fort /
SS' bomberS.
All As of the big fOur-engined |
,omberS, possessing combat ranges |
eater than those of any WarplaneS |
! wv engaged in the European hoStll-
/ les, will be delivered in time for !
h ne anticipated spring drive against |
Germany through France and the
b IOWlands, or against Germany and |
4 ally from the Mediterranean.
Can Reach All of Battle Zone.
The Consolidated and BOelng |
|bombers, almost identical as re-
cards range and performance, will |
be capable of carrying a full bomb |
load from England TO almost any |
existing portion of the European |
battle zone. From Egyptian or Greek |
bases. they can cover the entire |
Mediterranean area and operate in !
event of a spread of the war into the
Balkans, Turkey and the Black Sea
area.
1t is possible that the big planes .
tnay be shuttled back and forth be-
tween English and Mediterranean
|oa Ses. increasing their range of USE .
fuInesS and bIanketing hostile areas .
(which cannot be effectively reached .
with present types of combat air
craft
Both the Consolidated and Boeing
bombers are credited with effective
full-load ranges of 5000 miles Civ .
ing them bombing radius OF 1900
miles
Release of the bomberS to England .
was announced by Gen. George C.
Marshall, Army chief OF staff. at a
press conference yesterday after
noon. He announced that the 26
Consolidated B-24 bOmberS ordered
by the Army from the Consolidated
Aircraft Co. San Diego. are being
made available for purchase by the
British as rapidly as they leave the
line.
Some Reported Delivered.
An Associated Press dispatch from
San Deg today said the first of the
B-24 bombers received its initial
tests there November ? and that at
that time it was fully CamOufaged
and carried the insignia of the Brit
sh ROYAL Air Force. 1t was re-
ported that informed sources lndi-
Gated tire first plane already had
1een delivered to England.
The Consolidated B-24 has
Weight of 20 tons. gross, and a re-
ported speed of 300 miles per hour.
On long distance flights it carries a
rev of nine, including three bonn
1ardiers and gunners, and four tons
If bombs. 1t is powered with four
Pratt e. Whitney Wasp engines of
,200-horsepOWer each, driving three
1laded Hamilton hydromatic pro-
sellers u feet in diameter. The
blame has a wing span of 10 feet
md the overall length is "a feet and
he height 10 feet
Tricycle. landing gear is used. the
7ronr wheel folding back into the
,uselage and the rear wheels into
Fing wells in flight.
May Ferry Pilots.
It is possible that. during their
rial period. the first Consolidated
may be used to ferry Cana
lian pilots to England and to re-
urn instructors and Canadian pilots
'eleased from combat duty back to ,
Canada to fly new combat planes ]
pack across the Atlantic to England
Gen. Marshall said in his press
yesterday that he under
,tood the first of the Consolidated
had been delivered to Eng
and last Saturday and that the
others would be turned over at a
steadily increasing rate between now
and March l
The bomb sight which has been
to the British is the famous
5perry gyro-conuolled model which
formerly was regarded as the
worlds outstanding instrument of
he kind. The Sperry now is being
-eplaced in United States bombers
~ still further advanced type,
he Norden. which is being installed
Is an integral part Of the airplane
and is not readily removable as is
,ne Sperry.
New Sight on Some Planes.
1t is understood that models of
he Boeing BIC Flying Fortress
,omber-the model designated for
'elease to England-noW are being
NnrGe,1 CioI0t