RUSSIANS WELL AHEAD

Chronicle (Levin), 10 September 1948, Page 5

RUSSIANS WELL AHEAD

(N.Z.P.A.-

-Reuter-

Production Of Jet Aircraft Progressing

• Copyright).

Received Thursday, l p.m. LONDON, >Sept. 9. The 19-48 eclition oi' Ihe authoritative pubJicatioii oi Janes' "AU ' tlie AYorltl's Aircraft," ^ives a uumbei' oi liitherto unpublished ; I'ncts about the progress -mad-e «by j; the Russians 111 tlie prodtiction:'ol jet aireralt. | I11 u special artiele d ealing -with [ new Russian aii'c-raft types, tlie j editor, Mi' Leonard Bridgman, says tlie Russians are employiiig i bundreds oi Oerinan seieiitlsfs. 1 designers and teebnieians and have taken over niany Oernian experiniental establisbments and factories. Mr. Bridgman mention's four. new Russian tigbter and bomber types oi' which tlie l'astest is a fighter with a known speed oi 685 miles an liour. Tlie Soviet has also a new mediiim lieavy liomher powered by four jet engines oi an unspecified type, witli a range oi 1000 to 1500 miles. and a twin jet lig'ht bomber with a speed of 450 miles an hour. Still another type oi which only supei'fieial details are knbwn, is-a lnonoiilane with a tail roeket hooster oi German design. Alr. Ifi-idgnian says tlie Russians are also eopying tlie Ameriean Boeing B29 Superl'ortress, some oi' which were seized when they were l'orc.ed to land in Russian tei'i'itory during the war. Work Is known to he progressing in Russia 011 roeket propelled niissiles, roeket projectiles oi an advaneed V2 type, pilotless aireralt liunlelled iqion German flying liomhs, and other advaneed designs. 11 is not known whether the Russians are yet producing jet aircraft in any quantity and beoausc of the small amount oi inforinatlon available. it would be unwise to draw any swecping conclusions. '