MORE DEADLY

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21199, 23 August 1940, Page 5

MORE DEADLY

NEW BRITISH PLANES POWERFUL MACHINES MACHINE=GUN STRENGTH (Official Wireless) (Received Aug. 23, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Aug. 22 The success of the British fighter aircraft in defending Britain and the bombers in attacks on Germany and enemy-occupied territories has not let the authorities here relax their efforts to produce more powerful machines in the bomber classes. According to reliable reports the new British bombers soon to be brought into service are twice as powerful in every respect as those now in use, and despite their great size they are extraordinarily fast. One feature of the new bombers is stated to be an increase of the number of machine-guns carried. The machine-guns are held by the British designers to be more effective and deadly than the cannon in which the German Luftwaffe placed so much reliance. The older type of Wellington has given an even finer performance now that Rolls-Royce Merlin engines

have been fitted in place of the previous type. The 'new speed is estimated to be considerably higher than the former speed of about 260 miles an hour. Soldier Wounded In Scotland The Air Ministry and Ministry of Home Security report: During the night a bomb fell on a hillside in south-east Scotland, slightly wounding one soldier. As far as is known at present this was the only, casualty during the night. i i |