Pacifica-based Boeing, a noted commercial and cargo aircraft manufacturer, has branched out in a new direction: military aviation. In response to a recent government call for military aircraft designs, Boeing—and the fledgling Boeing Special Projects Group—have reportedly been hard at work developing new combat aircraft designs...and aerial munitions.

The first such design, the "Type 19," is the first of a new breed of rocket-assisted aerial torpedo design (though the German government is believed to be working along similar lines). Conventional aerial torpedo designs (notably the William and Colt "Crowbar") are inertial weapons that are "lobbed" at a target; range and stability in flight is assisted by a "pusher" prop assembly.

The Type 19 differs radically from this methodology, however. The torpedo is literally blasted away from a launching aircraft by a powerful rocket engine. The rocket burns long enough for spring-loaded stabilizer fins to deploy. Once these wings are locked in place, the rocket cuts out and a conventional propeller pushes the torpedo on to the target.

This radical new design, while unconventional, is not without advantages. With a faster deployment time, the Type 19 allows a pilot to line up a torpedo shot and fire the weapon more quickly, reducing the plane's vulnerability. (Standard torpedoes require a fairly significant "time on target," which is particularly dangerous when attacking military zeppelins or fortified installations.) In test runs, Boeing test pilots (flying modified P2 Warhawks) scored an impressive number of hits on target blimps and fixed installations—a staggering 28 out of 30 were actual "bulls-eyes," obliterating the target.

"There is typically some additional rocket fuel left in the 19's fuel reservoir," said Dr. Hans Oberst, project leader. "It adds a little punch to the already significant explosives payload."

There are, of course, some immediately apparent drawbacks to the design. The transition from rocket propulsion to propeller-driven flight causes a significant—and sudden—"slowdown." Launching planes should immediately move to a different course to avoid colliding with their own torpedo. Also, the rocket contrail will likely assist gunners seeking to shoot the torpedo down.

Despite these shortcomings, the Pacifica government has recently ordered a test run of 20,000 Type 19s, and active testing is expected to begin within the month. "We are very pleased at the success of this new weapon, and the Special Projects Group is in the process of recruiting a number of new and talented aviation engineers from across the globe," said Lance Warren, a Boeing spokesman. "These are exciting times, indeed. But the most exciting times are ahead!"