Show fighter planes offer best defense lit in protection from froin bombing attacks attack n 7 71 7 TR aa washington D C pictured is the fastest fighter plane in in the world the republic thunderbolt the P F 47 41 which which has attained a diving speed of miles per hour and in level flight a speed of more mor than miles per hour according to the office for emergency management the thunderbolt is soon to be placed in massed broat production the plane has a 2000 horse power engine a four bladed propeller and is 32 feet long it has a wing spread of 41 feet fire power of the plane was not disclosed but said it is heavily armored a red and bristling with both large and small small caliber guns how flow effective are antiaircraft anti aircraft guns how can they hit a target like a speedy elusive plane it difficult to fire heavy projectiles several miles up into the air against the strong pull of 0 gravity these quist questions ions are arising in the minds of many americans now that coastal cities of the united states are preparing for air raids and guns are being set up to guard against them actually british experience in this war has shown that the chief value ol of antiaircraft anti aircraft guns is not in bringing down enemy bombers but in keeping them high and spoiling their aim says a bulletin from the national geographic society it if a bombing plane is to score a hit on its objective on the ground far below it must fly in a straight line in the direction of the target for a few minutes to give the bombardier i a chance to set his bomb sight accurately cura tely it Is during this period that a bomber is vulnerable to antiaircraft fire for then the pilot cannot dodge or follow a zigzag course antiaircraft anti aircraft gunners worry less about overcoming the pull ot of gravity than a bout about getting their shells up fast enough to explode near or hit their rapidly moving target antiaircraft shells contain a powerful charge of powder designed primarily to launch the projectile on it its upward path with the greatest possible speed bomber pilots have learned in this war to watch for the flash of antiaircraft guns firing at them from below according to british officers who have been interviewed in this country when they see the flash they know that it will take several seconds for the shell to reach their level and explode in this b rief brief period of grace they try to dodge ut it possible hence the importance of making shells travel upward at the greatest possible speed fighter planes are the best defense against enemy bom bombers bers the british have found during the heavy air attacks on england in 1940 british fighters shot down nearly 10 times as many german b bombers bombly as did antiaircraft anti aircraft guns heavy guns guna of about three inch bore and upwards are used against high fly tag ing bombers against dive bombers which zoom down close to their targets light rapid fire antiaircraft anti aircraft guns are effective fec tive british experience shows one of the most useful is a 40 millimeter about VA 1 inch gun the best way to use such a gun is to wait until the dive bomber is very close to the ground and the range is short and then fire at high speed if a dive bomber is fired upon when it is still high the pilot can see the location of the guns and has time to pull out of his dive and approach from a new direction machine gun fire also Is effective against dive bombers if the g gunner ger er can restrain h his Is eagerness until the plane is at very close range british officers report during the evacuation of the british army from dun berque some german dive bombers even were brought down by concentrated cent rated rifle fire one incidental use for heavy antiaircraft guns is to show friendly fighter planes the location of enemy bombers it is often difficult tor for fliers in the air to spot other planes gunners on the ground in england sometimes fire a few bursts of nel in the direction of an enemy bomber formation to point outfits out its location to british fighters that are in the air then leave leav the battle to the airmen antiaircraft anti aircraft shells are set to explode at any desired height before they are loaded in the gun the height and other factors actors that enter into calculation of the range are determined ter mined by secret and highly arm complicated apparatus when a shell bursts fragments of shrapnel are sent flying in all directions over a considerable area |