Air Pictorial 1956-06
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Photos by request
CAPTURED DOUGLAS DB-7B: This photograph was taken in Japan in 1942 and shows a captured U.S.A.A.F. Douglas A-20A (R.A.F. Boston) with the identifying white line round the rear fuselage of the Nipponese Air Technical Intelligence Command. It was tested alongside the similarly camouflaged and marked Douglas DC-5 of K.N.I.L.M. (PK-ADA). A total of 7,097 Douglas DB-7s were produced between 1939 and 1944 and a few are still in use in the United States as high-speed executive transports with a 300-m.p.h.-plus maximum speed.
LATECOERE 28: One of the later transports used on the great Aeropostale network from France to South America, the Latecoere 28 was designed to supplant the earlier types 15 and 25 which served well in the pioneering days. Powered by a 500-h.p. Hispano-Suiza 12 Hbr (some examples had the Renault 12 Jb), the Latecoere 28 had a span of 60 ft. and length of 44 ft. 3 in . All-up weight 8,800 lb ., for maximum speed of 158 m.p.h. An innovation of the day (1929) was the use of a jettisonable long-range fuel tank. Note manner in which the massive exhaust pipe curves over the enclosed pilots' cockpit.
MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER: Once a familiar sight over wartime Europe, the Model 179 Marauder was the forerunner of the Canberra/IL-28 class of interdiction attack-bomber. Of the 4,708 B-26s built, 1940-45, none remain in military service but a few are luxury conversions as high-speed (300 m.p.h.-plus) executive transports as N171E, 1956 model.
N.A.R. Bendix entry in 1949. Called "Valley Turtle", this B-26C, N5546N, was owned by L. N. Cameron. Failed to meet 6 p.m. deadline so was disqualified.
ROHRBACH Ro VIII ROLAND: A common sight at Croydon Airport in the 1930s, the German Rohrbach Ro VIII Roland was produced in two variants. The earlier version (see photo) had an open crew cockpit, whereas the later version - from D-1692 onwards - had an enclosed cabin, and was known as the Roland II. Power for the Roland I was three 240-h.p. BMW IVs, while that for the Roland II was three 320-h.p. BMW Va's or 310-h.p. Junkers L-5. Span 86 ft . 34- in .; length 53 ft . 10 in. Total weight (Roland II) 16,760 lb. for maximum speed of 131 m.p.h . Note emergency magnesium flares under wings.
WESTLAND WITCH: The Witch was produced to meet an Air Ministry specification for a high-flying day bomber, and was first flown in 1928. It was a two-seat parasol monoplane powered by a 480-h.p. Bristol Jupiter VIIIF engine, and the particular form of wing bracing allowed ample space for bomb stowage within the fuselage . Only the prototype, J8596, was produced, the specification being finally abandoned as none of the aircraft built to meet it proved to have enough advantage over existing designs. The Witch was used finally as a parachute crew trainer at Henlow for some time . Span 61 ft.; length 17 ft . 8 in.; loaded weight 6,050 lb.