Evening star., 1949-05-01
'94B- by December 6orgas Award Given
Air Force Goal; -Four To Dr.. Dean. Expert
Groups Of 80 Planned On FIuorine for Teeth
ey John A. Giles


by John A. Giles
The Air Force expects TO have
"a OF the giant B-3e "'tntsrcon-
tinental" bombers by December
a. It's makes rapid strides toward
undermining its entire bomber and
fighter fleets.
Ofhcials said yesterday that the
contract for the nrst B-ses. which
nov cost between $500 900 and
81. 400 900 each. was scheduled for
completion this fall. An additional
rs are on order and more viii be
purchased with next years funds
under present plans. At present
around 90 Of the craft are operat-
ing.
Four Of the Air Forces Il stra-
tegic bombardment groups viii be
equipped with 80 Of the B-3ss each.
The balance viii be used for spares
and requirements.
With the serapping Of the Nays
Sl89. 900 900 super aircraft carrier
by Defense Secretary johnson last
weekend. the B-36 Is the weapon
around which strategic plans are
being laid for future atomic war
fare.
B-3S Subject OF Controversy.
Like the carrier. the B-36 has
been the subject OF some eonuo-
versy. Some aeronautical experts
have said that ii could not live
up to its designed capabilities.
However. Air Force Secretary Sy-
mington has called this criticism
"a hatchet job" and said the
B-36 was the plane of tomorrow.
He made that statement several
months ago and Air Force officials
now say that it is the plane OF
today" and that 1t has met its
tests. Since development of such
craft is such long and expensive
proposition-the first two expert
mental B-36s cost $40 ,000, 900 each
designers are said to be already
at work on replacement.
The B-36 has flown at $4,000
feet higher than any other
bomber-and Air Force officers
said that its speed before the end
OF the year would exceed at higher
attitudes that of any bomber ex-
cept smaller Jet propelled craft
which are limited by high fuel
consumption. They claim that the
speed and altitude of the giant
bombardment plane make 1t i'm
possible for even the fastest jet
fighters to knock it down.
Needs No Escort.
The Air Force also claims that
the B-36 flies too high to be seen
or heard and that 1t can penetrate
enemy defenses and reach targets
without fighter escorts because of
speed and altitude.
The Bell Aircraft Corp. has been
awarded a $3.000,0 900 contract for
installation of four jet booster
engines in each OF the B-36s al
ready on hand. At present the
ship is powered by six conven-
tional type engines with pusher
propellers and the jets are ex-I
pected to boost its top speed to
around $50 miles an hour. Thus,
the 5000 pound plane with its
10. 900 pound bomb load will be
provided with an extra source of
power for use over targets or
whenever additional speed Is
needed. It was designed to travel
10000 miles and has made q hop
Of some $500 miles with bomb
load.
At least 30 per cent Of the Air
Forces approximately 5000 bomb
ers and fighters now are postwar
models. a survey showed. Only
four of the now obsolescent war
time types-most OF them improv-
ed B-29 Super Fortresses-still are
being used.
A recapitulation of the $l,677.-
254.000 worth of plane contracts
placed by the air arm in the last
IL months showed that 2,430 new
aircraft were being purchased. 222
of them bombers and 1915 fast
jet fighters. The balance is for
other types such as trainers and
transports.
Types Shifted.
There have been substantial
cutbacks in certain types Of air.
craft and then orders for other
REORGANIZATION of the pur-
chase Of the B-54 medium bomber
and then ordering of B-36s. for
instance-but officials said that
there had been little change in
the overall strategic capabilities of
the Air Force. There will be some
loss of money because Of these
changes but 1t will be some
months before the exact amount
can be determined.
OF the new bombers ordered
In addition to the B-36. 1872
have been B-50 models A plane
of this type completed the first
round -the-world flight using q
refueling technique. Five Of the
fast BAT Stratojets also have
been ordered. In February o.