THE FLYING NAVY

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 3, Issue 273, 19 February 1941, Page 6

THE FLYING NAVY

AHEAD OF ENEMY MOVES Reference has been made in the last few days to the appearance of German Stuka dive-bombers on the Mediterranean for the purpose of attacking warships and convoys. Italian announcers,declared that the Stukas would be too fast for the aircraft used by the "flying navy"; but it is clear from the British ofiiicial announcements that the enemy's move was anticipated by the appearance with the Navy of new machines —the Blackburn Roc and the Fairey Fulmar—both faster and more powerful than the planes they have displaced. Aircraft carrier landing limitations were chiefly responsible for the attention in the Naval Air A'rm of the slow, easily manoeuvrable, but now largely obsolete biplana fighter. The biplane as torpedo-dropping bomber, as a "spotter" to help direct warships' gunfire, and as a reconnaissance machine still survives in the Fleet Air Arm's Swordfish, in its successor ' lha Fairey Albacore, and in the still formidable land Glad iator now handed over to the Navy in large numbers and equipped for deck landing. These maids-of-all-work, Swordfish, Albacore and Skua, do not hurl their Jsoolb of torpedo at a target so much as they hurl themselves. They descend to about 4000 feet, then power-dive almost vertically to a few hundred feet from their target at which point the torpedo is released. They are still more than a match for eneiny naval dive-bombers. They have already done admirable Avork against Mussolini's cotton-wool fleet whenever it has shown itself outside its harbours. Before the Germans moved into Italy with their faster planes, the BriLish Xavy had armed itself with

■■■■■■■■■■■■■ new planes which Avill be to the Navy what the Spitfires and Hurricanes have been to Britain at home". The Fairey Fulmar is larger than the Hurricone but otherwise looks like it. Though its speed is not disclosed, the Fulmar is faster, than anything previously used in naval work. It can land at much less than 60 miles an hour 011 the 700 fqet of deck length offered by, the aircraftcarrier. The Spitfire at 60 miles an hour requires a 900 feet run for landing. It is heavily armed. A few months older than the Fulmar, the Blackburn Roc is a twoseater fighter with wing-guns and a moveable gun turret amidships. Both are monoplanes, like the earlier Blackburn Skua which has proved so effective in action. The appearance of these new machines shows that the Fleet Air Arm has kept ahead of the enemy's moves No one in the historic War Room at the Admiralty will watch the performance of these planets with great- [ er interest than the Fifth Sea Lord, Vice-Admiral Guy C. C. Royle, Cihief of the Fleet Air Arm. Like the names of the Flee/ Air Arm's planes, he is almost unknown to the public; but Mr Churchill will vouch for him. He is one of the Prime Minister's- own appointments.