The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-11-12

round-trip flights up to $500 miles;
the raid on the Ploesti oil fields in
Rumania from bases in Egypt, the
raid on the Messerschmitt works at
Wiener-Neustadt, and raids in the
Pacific on Wake, Paramushiru and
Surabaya. The B-24 is used by the
navy under the designation PB4Y-1.
Medium, Light and Dive B0mbers.
New models of the two-engine
Tokyo raider, the North American
BIS (MitchelD, are equipped with
heavier armament and possess in
creased speed and range. The BIS
is the chief medium bomber in the
present program, production of the
Martin BIG (Marauder) being Ia
pered off. Boss, powered with
Wright Cyclone engines, are flying
on II fronts, are used by both army
and navy for anti-submarine pa
troll service, and have scored par
ticular successes with skip-bombing.
The Douglas A-20 (Havoc) is, the
principal light army bomber in the
program until the totally new, adj
vanced light bomber mentioned
above comes into production. The
newest Havoc, used by the army for
low-level bombing, is fitted with a
power turret and with armament for
ground strafing.
The A-24, army version of the
Douglas SID (Dauntless) dive
bomber, is now being produced in
decreasing numbers, chiefly for
training purposes.
Grammar Avenger.
The Grammar Avenger, the navy's
carrier-based torpedo-bomber, has
completely supplanted the Douglas
TBD (Devastator). It carries ma
chine guns as well as torpedo or
bombs, and has destroyed many
Japanese vessels in the Pacific.
Chief among the navy's patrol
bombers are three flying boats and
two land planes. The land planes
are the Consolidated PB4Y-1 and the
Vega PV-1. The flying boats are the
| Consolidated ply (Catalina), Com
solidated PB2Y, (Coronado), and
Martin PPM (Mariner). AL three
flying boats are used for transport
purposes as well as for patrol and
bombing operations. The two-engine
ply, the oldest, slowest and small
est, the ship which first spotted the
Jap forces on the Aleutians, is still
being built, still dive-bombing and
strafing enemy shipping and rescu-
ing pilots who have been downed at
sea. The four engine PB2Y has dou-
BILE the horsepower of the ply. The
PPM does good work in anti-subma-
rine coastal patrol and long-range
reconnaissance. Not even the new
est navy flying boats have speeds
much above 200 miles an hour, but
all are required to be able to land
in choppy sea.
The Vega PV-1 "a navy adaptation
of the twin-engined Vega B-34 sVen-
tura'' bomber) is the navy's chief
land-based anti-submarine patrol
plane. It carries depth charges or
a torpedo, is heavily armored, and
is now often used in preference to
flying boats in anti-submarine op-
erations because of its greater
speed.
The Consolidated PB4Y-1 is four
engine land-based bomber and, as
previously mentioned, is used for
long-range bombing missions and for
anti-submarine patrol work.
Design and Technical Improvements
Aeronautical engineering demands
experimentation with numerous de.
signs in order to obtain several high
performance aircraft of the required
types.
But on the other hand, the con-
slant Improvements being made on
models already in use, and the con-
tinuing addition of totally new air.
planes to our forces, slow down the
rate Of production.
Nevertheless, even at this stage in
the war, when clear-cut air superior.
ity over the enemy has been
achieved, there is no assurance that
the planes which have achieved it
are superior to planes which the
enemy may produce tomorrow.
Changes in strategic and tactical
problems, too, and changes Of ter
rain over which fighting takes place,
bring with them new demands for
aircraft design and equipment. Even
planes which have run up high box
scores must be constantly improved
and replaced. The makeup Of our
air fleet has never been static, and
! is not to become so.