5000-MILE BOMBER.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 226, 23 September 1940, Page 5

5000-MILE BOMBER.

LONG RANGE "EYES." NEW U.S. NAVY 'PLANE. (By HAROLD KEEN.) SAX DIEGO (California). The United States Navy's scouting eyes have acquired "binoculars" that will project the fleet's vision to the most distant theatres of possible sea combat. This is the significant fact behind the commissioning of a new aviation unit, Patrol Squadron 13, at the Naval Air Station here. It is the first to contain the navy's most recently developed long-range heavy bombing seaplanes, four-motored (1050 h.p. each), 825-ton giants capable of a speed in excess of 200 miles an hour and a non-stop range of 5000 miles. Their range, with a great load of bombs or aerial torpedoes, will give the fleet a reconnaissance scope of 2500 miles from any shore base or refuelling vessels at sea, and a terrific striking power to harass or even cripple an approaching hostile force. Safeguarding Nation's Gateways. The new bombers, built at Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, San Diego, will enable a complete blanketing of such gateways to vital American positions as the Caribbean, the Pacific approaches to Hawaii, Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, and zones in the Far East surrounding the United States naval base at Cavite, Philippine Islands.

They will extend the present area of scouting operations 1000 round-trip miles beyond that made possible by the navy's present armada of 250 twinengined Pby-type partol bombers, based at Pearl Harbour, Hawaii; Sitka. Alaska; Cavite, Philippine Islands: Seattle, San Diego, Norfolk, and Coco Solo, Canal Zone.

The prototype of these veritable battleships of the air, secretly engineered and built over a period of more than three years, was perhaps the most expensive seaplane ever constructed in the United States. Its cost was.

1,000,000 dollars, with the navy contributing 400,000 dollars. This first of the series of recently completed fourmotored 'bombers startled the world of military aviation on October 28, 1938. when it was flown non-stop, while still in an experimental stage, across the continent from San Diego to Anacostia, D.C.—over stretches of land where a forced landing for a seaplane would have been disastrous —iu 13 hours 55 minutes. Rapid Troop Transfers. Because of its great speed and passen-ger-carrying capacity, it has unequalled value as ,an overwater—or even overland—transport to effect rapid troop transfers. On long, overnight flights the 'plane can carry 30 passengers and six crew members, while on shorter jaunts there would be space enough for fifty.

Patrol Squadron 13 will bear the distinction of containing the most heavily armed aircraft in the navy service, the exact calibre of their guns being a military secret.

First commanding officer of this unit is a veteran navy flyer. LieutenantCommander S. B. Cooke, transferred from command of a squadron of twoengined patrol bombers in San Juan. Puerto Rico.—N.A.N.A.