Evening star., 1942-10-11

1dSIer IMAM F4F-S (pTcNlOuS IAOOcp
which hit $50 miles per hour. Range of
more than 1000 miles. Single seat.
Square wing tips and stabilizer. Heavily
armed.
F4U-Vought- -Sikorsky "Corsair"-
Heavy, high-altitude, long-range fighter.
Single, 2,O00-horsepower 1ratt & Whit
ney radial engine. Speed of 400 miles
per hour. 1t is reported this plane, even
though carrier-based, will do maximum
speed and maneuvers equal to best of
land based fighters. Should be in action
soon.
Navy Dive Bombers.
SBD-3-Douglas "Dauntless" s"-Techni-
cally known as scout bomber" this is
Navy's standard dive bomber An earlier
series, the SBD-2, adapted by Army, be-
came the A-24 (now being discontinued
in favor of later Army models. Has one
radial Wright engine developing more
than 1000 horsepower. Top speed, 260
miles per hour. Cruising range more
than 1000 miles. Low-wing design with
rounded wing tips. In Solomons this
pldllC has OCCll ClIplOyCO lOl COIlldCt
patrol work because of range and fire.
power. Carries single 1000 or two 500
pound bombs and crew Of two: Pilot and
gunner.
SB2A-Brewster "Buccaneer" New type
dive bomber now in process of refinement
if not actually in production. High-speed,
long range, mid-wing monoplane credit
~ wit, hat
Single Wright 1,70O-horsepower engine.
Similar to Bermuda" used by Raj,
Dutch. Crew of two.
SB2C-Curtis "Helldiver." Another new
type dive bomber now in process of re-
finement if not actually in production.
Few details known. Credited with high
speed, range, powerful armament. A
mid-wing job like the "Buccaneer" which
it resembles. Canadians build planes of
this type at Montreal. Crew of two.
Navy Torpedo Bombers.
TBD-1-Douglas "Devastator" Stand
ard Navy torpedo plane in war to date.
Radial, twin-row Pratt & Whitney en-
gine Of more than l 200 horsepower. Hits
about 225 miles per hour. Range we'll
over 900 miles. Carries 2l-inch, 1000
pound torpedo. Low-wing design. Crew
OF three: Pilot, rear gunner and radio
man -bombardier.
TBF-1-Grumman "Avenger" First
saw action at Midway from land base
when Japanese attack was repelled in
June. Subsequently was credited by the
NaVy with
per hour, range OF l 400 miles and load
capacity of 1000 pounds or one torpedo.
The ceiling is 10000 feet. Carries crew
of three and is one OF Navy's dead
liest new weapons.
Navy Patrol Bombers.
PBY-5A-Consolidate "Catal lima"
Parasol-wing amphibian with square
wing tips. Two Pratt & Whitney, twin
row engines Of 1900 horsepower each.
10000 pounds gross weight. 200 miles per
hour top speed. 4000-mile range Crew
of 5 to g. This is backbone of Navy air
patrol fleet. Slow but sturdy, it served
in China Sea and now patrols through
out rest of Pacific area Reported to
have divebombed Jap ships in Aleutians
on one occasion.
PBM-3-Martin Mariner" Flying
boat which serves same general purpose
as ply. Round-tipped gull wing set high
but flush with hull top. Forty thousand
pounds gross weight. Two Wright radials
OF 1850 horsepower each. Five thousand
mile range. Twin rudders.
PBO-Lockheed-H Hudson "Hudso
Twin-rudder, tapered wing design used
as anti-submarine patrol bomber. Pow
cred by two Pratt & Whitney 1,20O-h o.
engines 3OO-mile top speed. 2OOOO-ib
gross weight. British like 1t for coastal
command work.
PB2Y-Consolidated Coronado" A
twin-rudder, four -engine flying boat for
long-range patrols and transport service
Powered by Pratt Il Whitney ratlials of
1900 horsepower; 60,OO0-lb. gross weight
Navy Observation Scouts.
OS2U-Vought "Kingfisher";: SO3C-
Curtiss "Seagull." These are single
engine, low-power observation planes
fitted with removable floats for landing
alongside ship after being catapulted
from shipboard. Designed primarily for
scouting and observation in surface en-
counters of naval ships (battleships,
cruisers, large destroyers), these ship
board planes have had limited use in
aircraft carrier war in Pacific. having
served best in task force or convoy
patrols.
Army High Altitude Fighters.
P-3S-Lockheed Lightning" Reputed
to be worlds fastest military plane.
Speed well over 400 mph., with full
military load. Mounts 37-millimeter
cannon and .50-caliber machine guns.
Ceiling probably above $4,000 feet
Cruising range normally 1900 miles
goes to maximum 1900 with auxiliary
fuel tanks Twin Allison liquid-cooled
turbo-supercharged engines above 1900
h.p. each. Famous for. its twin fuselage
design.
P-47-Republic 'Thunderbolt Single
Pratt & Whitney 2,000-h.p. radial engine
Mounts eight .5O-caliber machine guns
in the wings. Credited with top speed Of
more than 400 m.p.h. Has done $50 In
power dive. Reaches ceiling around 10000
feet.
P-40F- -CurtiM "Warhawk" Latest Of
the famous P-4o line. this model Il
4