The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1952-01-01
End Is Seen
OF Man-FloMn,
Heavy Bolnbers
Airrnen Believe
Guided Missiles
Still Imperfect
But Are Cheaper
BY ELTON 6. FAY
Ap Military Affairs Reporter

WASHINGTON R--The United
States may be starting to build
the last of the man-flown bombers.
When these big planes reach the
obsolete age. new generation OF
transoceanic guided missiles and
pilotless aircraft are expected to be
ready TO take over the long range
aerial bombardment jobs.
But, airmen familiar with plan
ming for the future, told reporter
today that doesn't mean the cur
rent new heavyweight bombers
win be out Of date soon.
For one thing, a lot of bugs have
vet to be worked out of guided
missiles - like how TO steer them
over the horizon and make them
blow up the right target.
There are several arguments adj
vanced against keeping on build
ing bigger and bigger bombers. in
GLIDING these:
|. Heavy bombers are getting
too costly in money. manpower and
materials.
2. Guided missiles, when inn
pr0vements are attained in guild
ance systems, can do everything
the heavy, strategic bombers do
at less cost in manp0wer. ma
terials and perhaps in major
war, in money.
Using the B-52 as an example,
military aviation officials make
these points: s
AS combat planes go, it will last
a long time fperhaps five or ten
years. because the aerodynamic
design of the airframe appears to
be about the maximum that can
be expected. II is as streamlined,
as efficient for lift as the drafting
board men can make it.
The airframe design viii live
through several generations of en-
zine design. Indeed, different type
engines may be used In different
9-52's for different kinds of mis-
sionS.
The standard jets are growing
progressively more powerful and
faster. OF equal Importance, de-
signers are gradually cutting down
the fuel thirst OF the engines,
getting more. mileage out of them.
In 1916, JET engines were producing
about 1000 pounds of thrust.
Recently, in a report to stock.
holders. Frederick B. Rentschler.
chairman of United Aircraft Cor
poration, claimed that the Pratt &
Whitney J-57 engine going into the
B-52 had thrust comparable with
or superior to any engine in pro-
duction or ready for production. :"
He had mentioned among other en-
gines the British Sapphire with a
1900 pound thrust rating.
Despite the optimism about Ion
gevity of the big bombers, no one.
including the industry, disregards
the ascendancy Of the guided mis-
sile. Indeed, most of the big air.
craft companies, Boeing among
them. are working intensively in
their own missile research labora.
tories.
One industry official, Robert E.
Gross, president of L0ckheed Air.
craft Corporation. says we have a
fine start on the problem of guided
missiles but hastens to point out
the question of guiding the mis-
siles is still thorny one. He told
. group of bank officials recently
that:
ITS not hard To build lust a
missile of any range. long or short:
But it's been awfuily hard. if not
impossible, to build long range
guided missile. The long range
guidance system, not the missile
that's the key. And that's the prize
what the race all over the world
Is for - and we must and we can
win il.
In plain language. We must
nave guidance system that can
go beyond the horizon. How do Won
bend a beam ian eiectronic beam
along which the missile rides !
around the curve Of the earth's
surface?"