Evening star., 1941-01-28
New Gun-Armor Duel Looms
Eliot Sees Possibility Of Competition in Planes
Such as Was Witnessed in BottIeship Construction

ment Of their bomber force, and the
British will achieve at least a par
tial rearmament of their fighter
command with ships carrying either
.50-caliber machine guns or 20-milli-
meter automatic cannon.
The .50-caliber machine gun will
pierce any known airplane armor
(although there is always q chance
that the Germans, with their talent
for research. may spring q metal
lurgical surprise). but 1t does not
do as much damage after penetra-
ton as the small explosive shell OF
the 20-millimeter cannon. On the
other hand, far more ammunition
for the .50-caliber may be carried
for each gun than for the 20-milli.
meter.
-Armor Contest Seen.
What we are probably about to
see is the beginning In the air OF q
repetition of the contest between
gun and armor with speed and
radius Of action as conditioning
characteristics which featured the
naval construction of the period be-
tween 1862 Monitor -Merrimac) and
the present day. This will tend
toward an increase in size of the
largest type of airplanes( heavy
bombers) as more and more protec-
ton is demanded Reduction IN
numbers, because of cost, must fol-
low, with still greater demands for
increased bomb load for the reduced
numbers available. There will prob
ably be, however, an upper limit to
size, which will be occasioned by the
fact that, at present, at any rate.
no bomber, however large, can be
made proof against destruction by 4
single hit from heavy anti-aircraft
gun, and there will, therefore, be
point at which increase in size will
become unprofitable-too many eggs
in one basket. Also, 1t Is quite likely
that experience will show that de-
fensive armament can no more be
dispensed with in the heavy bomber
than can battleship do without its
anti-destroyer and anti-aircraft
batteries.
AS larger and larger guns are de-
manded, fighters likewise will tend
to increase in size. This will also
be necessitated by the demands OF
increased rsdius of action for types
designed as bomber escorts. and for
those intended to deal with attacks
by bombers against sea-borne trafiic
IA vital necessity for Britain At
present..
Armor for Fighters Also.
Armor will be employed on fight
ers as we'll as bombers. but there will
remain a need for large numbers
Of small interceptor fighters. operat-
ing near the targets which they de-
fend, with the emphasis in their
construction laid heavily on gun
armament and ammunition supply.
1t is not at all likely that either
side can effect complete surprise
by means of weapons or tactical
methods in air warfare. What Is
more likely Is a see-saw contest like
that of the World War in which
advances and improvements by one
side are countered by advances and
improvements on the other, with
any advantage gained being only
temporary.
In this contest, 1t is probable that
the chief interest will lie in the old
fight between gun and armor, with
the chances of success leaning
toward the gun, but with the battle
Of production always the basic fac.
tor. To reflect upon the far-reach.
ing implications of this situation
under the conditions Of modern
war is to realize that the mass
production of standardized types Of
war aircraft is unlikely to pay divi.
dends, and that production and de.
sign must remain sufficiently flex.
ible in all their stages to permit
OF adaptation to the changing con.
ditionS Of combat.
(Copyright. 1941, New York Tribune Inc.)