1,000 FORTRESSES
COMING TO ATLANTIC FERRY. FROM ONE WEEK’S ORDER. Who flies the giant flying fortresses from their American factories to Britain? The Air Ministry is in charge of the ferry, acting through the Ferry Command, which has 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 first pilot was British, the second American, and the wireless operator a Canadian. Pilots once 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 17’s, and Consolidated Liberators,, taking from 7 to 11 hours for the trip. In war-time the importance of the ferry 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 Transatlantic flying experience which will be invaluable when the war is over.
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Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1942, Page 4
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1871,000 FORTRESSES Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 April 1942, Page 4
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