NOW OUTMODED

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 66, Issue 197, 3 June 1946, Page 2

NOW OUTMODED

BRITAIN’S WARTIME AIRCRAFT PROGRESS IN METHODS OF PROPULSION (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, June 2, The Allies finished the war with Air Forces that were virtually, obsolete, said Air Chief Marshal Sir Keith Park in an interview during a brief stay at Wigram yesterday morning on his way south. The development of atomic 1 energy, rocket missiles and jet propulsion which came to full I fruit in the last year of the war, had brought about the obsolescence of the most modern types of aircraft. In view of these developments the aircraft now in service were outdated and could be regarded as of little use militarily except for training.

“The possibilities of the jet, gasturbine and atomic, energy propulsion systems are so vast that we cannot visualise fully what the future will bring in the air,” said Sir Keith.

Asked liojv the Air Force of the future would be built up, Sir Keith said that its whole success depended on basic research and applied research that would follow. He was of the opinion that this basic research was best done in Britain, which was now well equipped for such work. Co-operation In Research ■ “There is room for co-operation between Britain and the United States in applied research,” he continued. “Britain is ahead of the United States in some respects, and in others the United States * leads Britain. Both nations can work together for the greatest efficiency. During the war the Americans excelled with their longrange fighters. We had nothing similar. On the other hand the Americans could not compete with our shortrange fighters, such as the Spitfire. The United States at present is far ahead of Britain in the design and development of commercial aircraft.”

The Empire could co-operate in research, lie declared, but it was better to have the actual work done in Britain. There was no reason why the actual manufacture of aircraft should not be undertaken in Empire countries, many of which had built up useful industries as a result of the Avar’s impetus. Sir Keith Park Avas accompanied by Lady Park and liis personal aide, Flight Lieutenant R. W. LeAvis. The purpose of the stop at Wigram Avas to enable the party to transfer from the Lodestar in Avhich they fleiv from Wellington to a smaller machine Avhich Avas to land them in a paddock near the home of Sir Keith’s father at Waitalci. His father is Professor James Park, avlio is uoav S 9 years of age and lias not seen his famous son for many years.

American Decoration N

A decoration Avhich had been following Sir Keith Park round the Avorid for more than. two years caught up Avith him Avlien he arrived at Wigram on his Avay south. As Sir Keith stepped from the plane the station comihander,' Wing Commander F. R. Dix, handed him a signal that lias just come in by radio informing Sir Keith that he had been aivarded the American decoration of the Legion of Merit. “Well, well,” commented Sir Keith. “I heard I was in for this in the Middle East two years ago. The trouble Avith these,” and he nodded at the three and a half rows of service ribbons on his uniform, “is once they start they go on growing.”