PEACE AND SPEED

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 315, 31 August 1932, Page 3

PEACE AND SPEED

GIGANTIC BRITISH AEROPLANES SHOW REMARKABLE POWERS: AN AMERICAN VIEW. With the world considering Presi- i dent Hoover's disarmament proposals, j including abolition of aeroplane j bomberS) Great Britain's newest sec- j ret fighting aircraft, including a day ! bomher capable of 200 miles an hour ! at 20,000 feet, were seen in action for j the first time by a r-ecord throng at the thirteenth Royal Air Force display, says the "New Yorlt Times." The great air spectacle drew 250,000 outside the aerodrome. A "peace army," 450 strong, was encamped long hefore the fighting began for a campaign against the "militaristic" display. Communists were prevented from holding demonstrations, j Policem»en dispersed men carrying red flags and banners bearing inscriptions such as "War means worlcers killing workers." The day's big event was an eneounter between tbe new Hawker-Hart ; day bomber and three Hawker-Fury j fighters. These four are the fastest and latest types in the Royal Air , Force. Secrecy has enshrouded them I since their inoeption, and the Air ! Ministry still is unwilling to divulge | their official performances. j The bomher was spotted hovering j in the air, and immediately the Furies j roared and started shooting up like ! rockets. The battle began with the rat-tat-tat of maehine guns. The bomber rolled and banked to evade the speedier pursuers but the Furies were sent down in "fl.am.es" — x-ealistic j red smoke released hy the pilots — before the bomber was "shot down." j The main programme opened with a | rnass take-off of fifty-four bombers, i comprising three squadrons of Air Force machines and three squadrons of volunteers. The civilian airmen, : mostly bank clerks and office workers, t showed a skill which compaxied fav- j ourably with that of the professional , airmen. , A new huge night boxnber, flying 125 miles an hour, aroused considerable interest as did a Victorian troop carrier which can be converted into a bomber.