SECRET FIGHTER

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 2, Issue 187, 17 July 1940, Page 6

SECRET FIGHTER

Britain's new. secret fighter 'plane, with guns mounted to protect it even from attack from below tlfe bail, and a greater lire power than the famed British Hurricane, has been used in the air battles for supremacy over the Nazis over the Netherlands and Belgium. British communiques mentioned fort he first time the new two-seat-er fighter Defiant, in telling of action over the Low Countries. In addition to ail unknown number of machine guns firing from forward positions, the Defiant is equipped with .a power-operated gun turret aft. This new fighter, whose details are secret, was known to have been in large-scale production last'winter, and is believed to have appeared in surprising numbers in air battles over the Lowlands. The Defiant is powered by a 1030 horse-power Rolls Royce Merlin engine. It is a low wing all-metal monoplane. The British reported early last February that they had the new fighter in production as an answer to a new type of German fast, longrange bomber which was expected to make its appearance in the spring The power-driven turret is designed to swing eaisily at high speeds, whereas ordinary turrets are difficult to operate because of the wind pressure. The turret permits a broad side attack on a formation of enemy 'planes.