Evening star., 1944-01-07


ct" fighter plane, using jet pro-
pulSion instead Of standard pro-
Ipellers and capable of a speed
that a carefully guarded an
nouncement indicates is above
the 500mile e-an-hour mark, has
emerged from British American
laboratories and soon will be in
mass production.
Cloaked in secrecy for years, the
development of this new weapon
was disclosed last night on behalf
of the British and American Ali
Forces by Gen. H. H. Arnold. chief
of the American command. Expert
mental tests have been completed
without single mishap" in several
hundred flights, it was said. assuring
that the craft will be thrown into
the climactic struggle soon expected
on the Western Front.
Gen. Arnold did not disclose the
principle on which the new type OF
fighter operates, but in aviation cir
cles jet propulsion is generally con-
sidered to be a series of short, sharp
| IexploslonS on the rocket principle
hurtling the plane forward, instead
Of having 1t move along under the
impetus of a propeller biting" into
the air.
Gen. Arnold said only that it is
designed to fly at high attitudes
and extreme speed" but planes
already can make something over
400 miles an hour with propellers
and aviation authorities look on the
jet propulsion, or rocket principle
as a step to greater speed than the
propeller type can develop.
The new development is credited
to Group Capt. Frank Whittle oi
the Royal Air Force, who started
working on the rockets" in 1887
1t was not until April, 1887, that
the first engine was run success
fully.
A number of the new rocket
planes have been allocated to the
United States Navy for further tests
and experimentation. Plans are be-
ing made, it was said, for the pro-
duction of sufficient quantity for
training purposes both in the United
States and in England.
Gen. Arnolds statement disclosed
that the British Air Ministry placed
the first order for jet-propelleo
plane in 1889 with the Glostel
Aircraft Co.. Ltd, and that the first
successful flight was made in May
l94l by the late Flight 1t. P. E. G
Sayer of the Gloster company.
Full information about the new
engine was disclosed to the United
States Army in July, 194l, and the
| following September the engine
which made the first flight was sent
to the General Electric Co.
AS the result of close co-opera-
ton between the two air forces and
producers, number OF these planes
were built.
Built by Bell.
'The first engine was ready fol
tests in less than six months" Gen
Arnold said. "At the same time
the Bell Aircraft Co. was given al
order to build an aircraft suitable
to operate with two of these en-.
gines and the first fight in thu
United States was made in less thar
II months
The maiden flight of the frs
experimental plane in the Unitee
States was made October /, 1912
but this was the first time the en-.
gines had been installed in a com.
bat plane. Robert M. Stanley, chic
test pilot of the Bell company, wa.
at the controls.
The next day Brig. Gen. Laurence
e. Craigie, then colonel, flew the
aircraft, being the first Army Officer
to pilot a military rocket" plane
Others who have tested the plane
are Brig. Gen. B. w. Chidlaw, CHIEF
of the AAF material division, ane
Maj. Gen. William E. Kepner, for.
merly commander of the 4th All
Force.
Italians Claimed Lead.
The Italians were the first to an.
nounce officially successful expert.
ments with Jet propulsion plane
and the Luftwaffe has been reported
experimenting with rocket device!
on planes to give them additiona
power on take-offs of higher speee
in emergencies.
In August, 1910, . single-seatee
monoplane built by the Caproni Co
in collaboration with Secondo Cam.
pini, Italian inventor, made tes
flights from the Taliedo Article
near Milan.
A larger model was built later and
after tests, few from Milan to tn,
Guidonia research station neal
Rome on December /, 194l. Tn,
time announced for the 168-mil,
flight was slow, two hours and 2!
minutes. though the pilot may hav.
followed a circuitous route In puttini
the plane through its PAGES.
The Rome newspaper II Popolo d
Roma published q description Of tn,