BOSTON AND BUFFALO

Taranaki Daily News, 14 September 1940, Page 7

BOSTON AND BUFFALO

R.A.F. AMERICAN PLANES London, Sept. 6. Two new types of American aircraft now being delivered in quantity to Great Britain are at R.A.F. stations. Performances of both machines are on the United States secret list. The Duke of Kent recently paki visits to aerodromes and examined the new planes which are a Brewster singleseater fighter and a Douglas light bomber. They will be known as Buffalo and Boston. y The Buffalo was originally developed for use by the United States Navy as a deck-landing fighter. but will be employed by the R.A.F. as a land fighter. This aircraft is a mid-wing monoplane with a very short, deep fuselage and has an undercarriage which retracts partly into the wing and partly into the fuselage, a feature of its design. Generally, the aircraft is of the orthodox stressed skin construction, with the exception of the movable control surfaces, for which fabric covering is employed. Power comes from a Wright "Cyclone" nine-cylinder radial, aircooled engine, which drives a variable pitch airscrew. In size, the Buffalo is similar to the Spitfire. The Boston is a twin-engined, light bomber of unorthodox design. It is of the monoplane type, with sharply tapered wings and a fairly deep, narrow fuselage. The undercarriage is of the tricycle type, with two rear wheels retracting into tlie rear of the engine naeelles. Tlie nose wheel retracts to the rear and upwards into the fuselage. yhen raised it is covered by hinged panels. Two Wright "Cyclone" ninecylinder radial, air-cooled motors are fitted.