Evening star., 1941-05-26

Lindbergh and the iSolatloniStS who
constantly talk of another expedi-
tionary force are thinking in terms
of the last World War and not this
one. So also is obsolete already the
Lindbergh testimony recently given
before a congressional committee
to the effect that long-range
bombers capable of crossing the
ocean and back would be needed
by the Nazis for invasion and so
far as he knew none was being
planned
The American strategy foresees
that the Nazis might build long
range bombers capable of crossing
the ocean or operating from South
Atlantic bases. The wise planner
doesn't wait nowadays for Germany
to build up a transatlantic air
force just as the British. lulled into
fancied security, allowed the Ger
mans to build superior short-range
air force. The United States has
decided upon long-range bombers
capable Of flying without stop to
the northernmost points of Alaska
and back, capable of flying from the
new Atlantic sea bases to Europe
and back, and capable of flying
from the decks of the American
Navy anywhere in the Atlantic and
Pacific with a range running from
1000 to 1000 miles. and finally long
range bombers capable of flying to
Japan and back from American
bases in the Pacific.
U. S. Alert to Her Destiny.
This decision to make long-range
bombers with huge cruising radius
means that America at last has
walked up to what aviation can
mean to her safety. America has
decided to build as many long-range
bombers as possible in the next two
years and to gain superiority in
that kind Of production which no
other nation can touch.
This is why all estimates as to
raw material needs have had to be
revised upward to unprecedented
figures. A program of 500 bombers
a month is. planned for the i'm
mediate future, with possibly 100
per cent increase in that figure in
1912.
Germany is not fooled up to pro-
duce long-range bombers. She would
like to persuade America not to
build them and doubtless the propa-
ganda will som start against our
new bombing program. For the
Germans and all European air min
istries have thought in terms of
short-range bombers. The British,
on the other hand, who now see
the theater of war extended to far
flung points of the earth's surface
and who are not themselves equipped
to build many long-range bombers,
have agreed that it would be best
for the United States to concentrate
on bombers whilst the British fac
tories turned out the fast pursuit
and interceptor planes.
But the United States isn't going
TO be content with 10000 long-range
bombers. There are to be some new
fighter planes with long-range cruis-
ing radius, too. The new Vought
fighter developed for the Navy car
ries 1000 horsepower and speeds at
400 miles an hour and has a large
cruising radius.
The problem of horsepower for
the new bombers has been solved
fortunately by the remarkable rec
ord made by American engine max
ers-Pratt g. Whitney and the
Curtiss Wright Co. Their air.
cooled engines will doubtless develop
at least $500 horsepower before
long, and so, with four engines, the
new bombers may have 10000 horse
power, permitting of a wide range
and heavy load.
Emphasis on Air Power.
The American people do not know
how fortunate they are to have had,
by reason of the demands of our
commercial aircraft and air trans
port industry of the last two decades,
an urge to build planes of longer and
longer range and heavier and heav-
Ter load. The school of thought
represented by Gen Frank Andrews,
Admiral Moffett. Col. Bob Olds. Ad-
niral Towers and Gems. Arnold and
Emmons, who insisted on high alti-
tudes, long range and heavy load
carrying, is today vindicated. For