1,000 FORTRESSES
ONE WEEK'S ORDER I Who Hies the giant flying fortresses from their American factories to Britain? The Air Ministry is in charge ot the ferry, acting through the Ferry Command which lias headquarters at Montreal. Pilots and crews are recruited from British Airways and Air Transport Auxiliary, and there are a number of volunteer American pilots: it used to be said that the iirst pilot was British, the second American and the wireless op orator a Canadian. Pilots oncc returned by boat, now they are being flown. As a rule the bombers are flown direct to England, but Catalina flying boats have come via Bermuda. To date the Ferry has operated Lockheed Hudsons, Boeing B 17s and Consolidated Liberators, taking from 7 to 11 hours for the trip. In war-time the importance ci the feriy cannot be put too high: during one week of September the British Government placed an order of £87,000,000 with the Boeing Company for 1000 Flying Fortresses. And the service is also creating' a pool of Trans-Atlantic flying experience which will be invaluable when the war is over.
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/BPB19420225.2.8.3
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Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 21, 25 February 1942, Page 3
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1841,000 FORTRESSES Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 5, Issue 21, 25 February 1942, Page 3
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