Redland's Interceptors

A bombing plane flying 170 m.p.h. at an altitude of 15,000 ft. would be over London dropping its bombs just ten minutes after it passed the English coast. Most combat planes now in use would take at least 16 minutes to climb 15,000 ft. from the ground. The Royal Air Force has at least one type of day bomber, the Hawker Hart with a secret steam-cooled engine, capable of a maximum speed of 187 m.p.h. So has France, so has Italy.* To counteract these speedy bombers British planemakers have designed four types of "interceptors," 200 m.p.h. single-seat fighters which can rise like rockets, climb to 15,000 ft. in eight minutes. The British public had its first chance to see day bombers and interceptors in the air at the R. A. F. exhibition at Hendon on June 28. The British General Staff had a much more practical demonstration last week during the R. A. F.'s three-day maneuvers.

With a shrewd suspicion of the probable result, no attempt was made to defend London from air attack. Britain was divided in two, "Redland" and "Blueland." The official problem set "Redland's" commander would have taxed a Napoleon: to defend the mines and factories of northern manufacturing Britain, to preserve a way out of the country for minerals, inward for food and supplies. Real problem of the maneuvers was to test the comparative efficiency of day bombers and interceptors. Redland was given the fastest fighting planes, Blueland the fastest bombers.

The bombers won hands down. Flying at an altitude of only 2,000 ft., two flights of Harts passed over a Redland airdrome in a surprise attack before the interceptors could rise and engage them. Umpires announced that with a full load some of the new day bombers were 20 m.p.h. faster than the machines designed to destroy them. Second day of the maneuvers Redland's defenders gave up hope of beating Blueland in the air, concentrated on raids against Blueland's bases just as the fast bombers were taking off.

Redland's chief casualty was Edward of Wales. In a Fairey 3-F fast bomber piloted by his personal pilot Squadron Leader David S. Don, H. R. H. went up to watch the fighting. In the afternoon he decided to change sides, approached the Blue headquarters of Air Marshal Sir Edward Leonard Ellington. It had been a poor week for fighting planes. A patrol of six fighters defending the Blue base saw a single red bomber approaching. Not recognizing the Prince's plane they dove at it with whoops of joy, raked it with imaginary machine guns, "sat on its tail" in approved fashion, forced it ignominiously to earth. Wales, grinning good-naturedly, admitted his theoretical death.

Maneuvers ended next day. White brassarded umpires gathered at headquarters, published their gloomy conclusions:

"An enemy working at reasonably short range cannot be kept out of neighboring territory, cannot be prevented, when once in the air, from doing serious damage. A defending commander can have no hope against the new fast bombers unless he has a long warning of their approach. Faster intercepting machines must be built. More perfect methods of heralding a raider's approach must be devised."

*By the terms of the Versailles Treaty, Germany is forbidden all military aircraft.

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