THE CHINA MAIL, JULY 18, 1989
750 PLANES A MONTH FOR THE R.A.F.
Output May Be 1,000 HE KNEW
By September
Last January, I expressed the opinion that the monthly output of British 'planes then exceeded 400, as compared with an estimated production of 500 to 600 per month in Germany, writes Group Capt. L. G. S. Payne in the London "Daily Tele- graph."
·།་
On March 9 Sir KingsleyWood, the Air Minis- ter, admitted in the House of Commons that past estimates of improved aircraft production had been "on the conservative side."
He declared he was hopeful that output by the end of this year would show a 400 per cent. increase over that in May, 1938.
na-
TOO MUCH
A library chairman, being told: that some incunabula. had been found in one of the cupboards, at once ordered the library to be closed and requested the Medical Officer of Health to have the premises immediately disinfected.
Colonel Vere E. Cotton, who told this story at the Library As- sociation conference at Liverpool, explained that incunabula are ▾ books printed early, especially be- fore 1500.
supposed to be in a greatly inferior position to ourselves as regards that air reserves. But the secrecy veils the Axis Powers' rermament makes it difficult to gauge their deficiencies,
Meanwhile, plans recently con- certed by the German and Italian air staffs for the complete unifica tion, of their air forces, common use of air bases, standardisation of material and supplies, coordina- tion of the two countries' aircraft industries, and agreement on ob- jectives to be attacked in war, must give cause for grave concern.
a
The fulfilment of such projects apparently implies that it will then be practicable to concentrate great Italo-German Air Force, far stronger than the British and French Air Forces together, in any within a few hours, and to use it in an attempt to secure a knock- out blow at an early stage in hos-
tilities.
The superior first-line strength of
the Axis Powers, and their ability to make use of their central posi- tion to concentrate their air forces, SLOW INCREASE
are the more significant since many Meanwhile, the very slow in-important objectives for air at- crease in the numbers of our first- tack in England, including the with line aircraft and operational capital, are far more vulnerable to squadrons gives rise to anxiety at bombing than similar objectives in home and
among our friends Germany. abroad.
To-day it is freely stated that we in Britsin and France, these
no grounds for have already-passed the 750 per tions still have month mark, and that we shall at-complacency regarding their first tain an output, by about Septem-line air strength compared ber, of 1,000 per month, which, itat of the Axis Powers. is contended will then equal that of Germany.
AUGMENTED RESERVES Admittedly, first line machines actually available.in operational FAR-SIGHTED PLANS
the only There can be no doubt of the units do not constitute extraordinary increase in British criterion of air power. In the last airframe and aero-engine produc-few years, besides adding to our tion during the last six months.first-line strength, we have greatly This is due to the cumulative effect augmented our reserves of trained the of far-sighted plans for the erec- men and material, increased
our tion of new factories, improvement establishments of many of
system of units, and been compelled to re- of existing plants, a
more group manufacture, extension of equip our squadrons with... subcontracting, and the enlistment modern machines. of outside firms in the aircraft in- dustry.
Nor has the peak of production by any means been reached. New factories are being constructed, others are being enlarged, and fresh sources of supply have been created in the Dominions,
Yet, despite increased production
OFF THE RECORD
**Thanks for rumour that
GEORGE The
We
The Programme of 1,750 first-line machines at home, excluding the Fleet Air Arm, but including the flying squadrons of the Auxiliary | Air Force, was completed by the allotted date-March, 1939. · are now aiming at 2,370 first-line machines in Britain by March, 1940, | plus a 30 per cent. increase in our fighter strength.
The 1,750 machines were to be Sir Kingsley Wood has recently comprised in 123 squadrons and, indicated that 55,000 men will be according to the Air Force list, operational required for the RAF's auxiliary we actually had 128
reserve establishments this squadrons namely 104 regular and year. In addition to aircraft crews and 19 auxiliary at home and ground personnel, the B.A.F November. To-day we have Volunteer Reserve now has nearly 4,000 pilots under training.
Germany and Italy are generally
By ED REED.
BEST
90
is there any truth. În work for the candy store?
Here's Luck
EWO BEER
last 124.
In a period of more than six months our first line strength at home has been increased by one auxiliary squadron.
There must be some drastic ac- which celeration of the rate at operational squadrons are being formed in Britain if we are to ob- tain the additional 620 : first-line 41 machines, contained in about
next year squadrons, by March when the. 2,870 machine program- me is due to be completed.
•
It is not only a question of whe-
ther our latest programme is being held up by lack of trained person- nel, or some other factor, rather We than by lack of machines. have also to consider whether the programme itself is suficient in face of what is taking place abroad.
The French "Plan V" aime at providing only 2500 first-line ma- Chines by April, 1940. There is little doubt that Germany already. had 2,500-3,000 first-line 'planes. In the spring of 1939.
AXIS PLANS
Since she has not been under the nécessity of replacing. large num bers of obsoleta, aircraft, dating from the pre-expansion period, and Is generally supposed not to have. placed large numbers of machines in reserve, she may well have 6,000) Arst-line planes day”
more than double" the
tain and
next
(then can only
Italian Air Force is
lacking inį rei
ably
Machines
IT'S THEIR GREATEST TRIUMPH TOGETHER! Their love story is the last word in romantic thrills!
NORMA
SHEARER Clark GABLE Clarence BROWN'S
Production of
Metro-
Maver
JACTURE
Idiot's Delight
CLARENCE BROWN
ANUNT HUKOMPENG
HEKOWARD ARNOLD |ARLES COBURN EPH SCHILDKRAUT TO MORROW. QUEEN
ALHAMBRA