Lockheed Hudson
In 1937 the Lockheed Aircraft Company began producing the Lockheed Hudson. It had a maximum speed of 246 mph (396 km) and had a range of 1,500 miles (2,400 km). It was 44 ft 4 in (13.51 m) long with a wingspan of 65 ft 6 in (19.96 m). The aircraft was armed with 5 machine-guns and could carry 750 lb (240 kg) of bombs.
The Royal Air Force was very impressed with its performance and in 1938 ordered 200. Later this figure was increased to 350. They were delivered in 1939 and were used by the Coastal Command reconnaissance. The Lockheed Hudson was also employed by the United States Air Force for reconnaissance, convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols during the Second World War.
Primary Sources
(1) Primo Levi, Survival in Auschwitz (1947)
Last spring the Germans had constructed huge tents in an open space in the Lager. For the whole of the good season each of them had catered for over 1,000 men: now the tents had been taken down, and an excess 2,000 guests crowded our huts. We old prisoners knew that the Germans did not like these irregularities and that something would soon happen to reduce our number.
