No Bristol Type 142

Sir John Siddeley by 1933 had patented the alloy wing of A.W.23 bomber-transport (the Empire task) and invested in floor space (UK Aero’s then-biggest) to build it and civil types. He financially over-reached, losses, 33/35, and faced bankruptcy: Ritchie,P.13: 3/35 “production…not of a profitable nature”. As soon as Germany renounced Versailles, Czechoslovakia began the fortification of the Sudentenland that was the cause of Hitler “taking it back”, 9/38, and funded initial design to turn that wing into a proper bomber. (I de-crypt my notes as sourcing this to P.Fearon,The Br. Airframe Industry and the State,1918-35, Economic History Review,27/2 {1974}, but let me confirm, pls.). Air Ministry’s 8/35 order for 80 A.W.38 Whitley had been conditional upon financial restructuring, and was the prime asset putting A.S.Devt.Co in a position of strength (Sir J. as MD) for the 7/35 merger as HSAL – in RAF Expansion Scheme ‘C’, May,35, the business bonanza was bombers, where Gloster/Hawker had no presence. Order for Type 142M Blenheim I followed in 9/35.

(bumped 20/4/11 when I found the Czech source: Barnes/HP/Putnam, P.379: (June,1935: ) “A.M had invited tenders for…a replacement for B.3/34 (Whitley), which was itself a stop-gap derived from (A.W.30, itself derived from A.W.23 bomber-transport) designed for the Czechoslovak govt.”

…… Whitley was funded by the Czechs who cared not for such constraints, and cared only to clobber Berlin. …..

I’ve not heard that before – could you tell me more please? There would surely have been a vast difference in range required?

Roger Smith.

You have picked a subject fraught with murky politics. Until Germany quit the League’s Disarmament Conference, 10/33, attempts were being made to outlaw bombing, and weights were restricted to 6,600lb. until 6/34. Wellington and Hampden were so designed; Whitley was funded by the Czechs who cared not for such constraints, and cared only to clobber Berlin. PM Baldwin believed “Air Forces ought all to be abolished”…except for the cost-effective Empire tribal pacification task. Lord Rothermere, with many others, saw Bolshevism, not Germany, as the Threat to all we held dear. The Whites, owners of Bristol, miffed at missing out on RAF’s 3 new Bombers, agreed: their PV Britain First was faster…empty. Rothermere promoted it as a USSR-Punisher: range, not payload or speed, was the attribute.

On 16/3/35 Germany repudiated Versailles; re-elected Baldwin in June,35 funded Air Rearmament for the triple tasks of Empire, Germany and USSR, launched behind the Maginot Line, and from Italy, if our wooing of Musso came good. In 1936 the Heavy Specs. emerged, when spars and power made them feasible, and the auto industry was turned into munitions/Aero shadows to build them en masse. Bristol Taurus/Mercury were assigned to Herbert Austin’s Group as templates until Hercules might mature; the 4th. (then so-called) Medium Bomber, Blenheim, was funded, in part as back-up to HP/Vickers (AWA would soon turn to HSAL’s Heavy, Manchester), in part as the Empire pacifier, in part as outlet for Austin’s engines, and for Rootes’ entry, at Meir/Speke, and Avro at Chadderton Agency Factory, as airframe shadows. All, intended to be learning templates awaiting Heavies: there was no intent to buy Bristol Light Twins by the gazillion, nor Whitley into 1943. Whirlwind, not Beaufighter, would be the cannon fighter.

My As to your Qs are: No, 3 is enough. Waits for Heavies. Germany would not be ready to impale itself on the Maginot until 1941: Heavies would by then turn her East.

(Sources, mainly: Prof.David Edgerton (Imperial C., History of Science): 3 books; S.Ritchie, Industry and Air Power).