Evening star., 1940-10-30
Britain Believed
Producing Flying
Fortress Bombers
K. A. F.'s Long Roids Hint
Plants May Be Turning
Out Air Giants
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON.


The possibility that England is be-
ginning to receive deliveries from its
own factories of four-engined heavy
bombers of the flying fortress" type
is seen in the news of British raids
on the Skoda armament works al
Pilsen, in Czecho-Slovakia.
Although the British have beer
seeking some of the American
Armys famous Boeing flying fort
reSs" bombers, it is known that
England herself has been engaged
for some time in preparations tC
produce her own aircraft of this
type.
Such bomberS already have prog
ressed past the trial fight stage and
it is regarded as probable that suf-
ficient deliveries now are in progress
to make possible a beginning OF
offensive operations with the big
long-range bombers, a type which
the British have lacked conSpicu-
ously.
Crews Being Trained.
A month ago, according to reports
received by aviation officials here
crews which will man Great Brit
aims latest flying fortress type
bombers were getting their hands
in with trial flights in the big ships
described as "the largest and moSt
heavily armed warplanes in the
world" The big British fortreSSes
of which few details are known here
are said to have been designed eSpe-
ciallv for high altitude operations
Their range is said to be sufficient
for them to fly to Egypt and back
without refueling.
The big British bombers are de-
signed on basis of experience with
giant four-engined flying boats
built by the British for tranS-ocean
air transportation and big land
transports which have been ope-
rated on the routes to India and
Australia.
The British attacks on the Skoda
works indicate to observers here
the possibility that new aircraft OF
longer ranges than any so far en-
ployed have gone into operation.
Full Load for $500 Miles.
The distance from London to
Pilsen is about 1000 miles. This
means a round-trip flight of at
least 1000 miles. 1t is customary to
carry a fuel reserve of up to 25 per
cent to allow for unexpected wind
and weather variations, the neces-
sity for hunting for the target,
especially in case of thick weather,
errors in navigation and the neceS-
sity of lodging or fighting enemy
air forces. This means that fuel for
up to $500 miles must be carried.
There are few two-engined bomb
ers of the types the British have
been using in attacks on Germany
and Italy which can be operated
efficiently, with useful bomb loads,
at ranges of as much as 1000 miles.
One of the principal arguments
in support of transferring Boeing
flying fortresSeS to England was
that they were neededs to enable
the British to attack important
factories in CZecho-Slovakia, Aus
tria and Poland The Germans are
reported to have moved many i'm
portant industrial operations into
these distant areas from the Ruhr
area which British bombers have
been hammering steadily for
months.
Nazis Are Experimenting.
At least two new British long
distance four-engined bombers are
known to have reached the trial
stage and at least one of them may
by now be rolling off the production
line. The Handley-Paige Halifax
and the Sterling are four-engined
types approximating in size and
capabilities the Boeing flying fort
resses They are designed to carry
great bomb loads at high attitudes
over long ranges-an qualifications
for such operations as those against
the Skoda works.
The Germans also are known to be
conducting trials with a giant four
engined bomber. Such Nazi war
planes have appeared at least twice
over England, apparently on service
trial status.
The appearance of the big four
engined, long-range bomber in the
opposing European air forces may
herald a new and vitally important
phase of the war. Such ships are
distinctly long-range types and in
dicate an important shifting O!
points of attack.
The shifting of operations from
the English Channel to the Mediter-
ranean would make it vitally impor-
tant to the British to have long
range bombardment and reconnais-
sance aircraft of both land and sea
types. For this reason it is known
that the British have been negotiat.
ing with the United States Govern
ment for the Army's heavy bombers
and the Navy's consolidated patrol
bombers.
U. S. Has Only 81 Now.
The new Boeing flying fortress ha!
q range of 5000 miles with a loae
of 10000 pounds of bombs, at
speed of $50 miles per hour or more
1t carries crew of seven to nint
men, depending upon the range ano
the need for reliefs on long flights
The United States today has only
81 flying fortresses in service. De-
liveries now are being made at