Evening star., 1940-10-23
Air Corps Receives
First Of 80 New
Flying Fortresses'
Others Are Expected to
Be Delivered for Service
BY Mid-December

The first of 80 new 22-ton flying
fortress" bombers ordered for the
Army's expanding Air Corps, swifter
and higher-powered than their
famed predecessors, was reported
delivered today at the Wright Field
experimental station at Dayton,
Ohio.
Flown from the Boeing aircraft
plant at Seattle, Wash, this 1910
model of the Army's largest and
longest range bomber will be put
through gruelling flight and maneu-
vering tests. BY mid-December, it
was expected, the other 79 flying
'fortresses" will have been delivered
for active service. About half Of
the number, it was learned. is a
type embodying some later i'm
provements over the one delivered
today.
In addition. the War Department
announced the first delivery at
Wright Field of the Stinson O-49. an
improved two-piece, unarmed obser-
vation plane. radically different
from the well-known Ryan type.
While production figures are not
being given publicity at present. it
was learned that about 500 of these
new observation planes will be pro-
duced by the Stinson division OF the
Aviation Manufacturing Co.. Nash
vile, Tenn, which was awarded
81 900 600 contract.
Barring any deliveries Of flying
fortresses" to Great Britain, reports
of which the War Department con-
tinueS neither TO affirm nor deny,
the Army will have 1872 of these
gigantic bombers in service after
the Boeing plant makes its final
delivery. There are So of the earlier
types Of "fortresses,' all Of which are
still fit for service.
Flat-Type Turrets Installed.
The new B-l7C is practically iden-
tical to its forbears of the series,
except that instead of the 'blisters"
of the earlier models, as protruding
gun turretS are termed-fat-type
turrets have been installed The
same type Wright Cyclone" 9-cyl-
inder super r-charged engines are
used. but the horsepower is Of
slightly higher capacity. This should
make for more speed.
Like previous types. the new
model is 22-ton, all-metal, low
wing monoplane with a wing span
of los feet. Its length is 10 feet;
its overall height Is feet.
While the cruising range Of the
flying fortresses" has never been
officially divulged. it has been re-
ported they can fly 5000 miles with
out refueling, at speeds in excess OF
$50 miles an hour.
The crew consists Of command
ing officer, pilot, co-pilot, navigator.
engineer, bomber radio operator
and gunners. All members Of the
crew can change stations freely.
For long flights. the War Depart
ment said, sufficient additional per-
sonnel can be carried so that indi-
vidual operators can be relieved for
rest periods.
Fastest Ever Built
BY means Of superchargers air
is fed to the engine at approximate
" sea-level density, although the
airplane may be flying at substrato-
sphere attitudes.
Hailed as the fastest and longest
range bombers ever built" when the
first three were put into service IN
1895, the Army followed them up In
July. 1887, with an order for 10
more from improved designs. Again,
in February. 1889, deliveries began
on another order for 80, all of which
were put in service.
The 13 earlier bonbers made
aviation history on a goodwill
fight from Miami to Buenos Aires
on February Is. 1898. and later TO
Bocota. Colombia, on August 5, 1888.
Ohicials said the new type OF OBJ
servation plane 20 be tested at
Wright Field has been developed
for use with artillery and infantry
for field liaison and observation
work. 1t is short-range ship pow
cred by one 280-horsepoWer, 9-cyl-
inder LyComing engine. The
fuselage is Of steel-tube conStruc-
ton, fabric covered. Wings are Of
metal and have span of 81 feet.
The gross weight is 3,237 pounds.
The plane differs from others of its