LAGGING BEHIND?

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 29, 4 February 1937, Page 7

LAGGING BEHIND?

R.A.F. EXPANSION. British and German Air Defence Compared. MINISTER'S ADMISSIONS. LOXDOX, January 29. Two surprises were in store for the House of Commons when Mr. O. E. Simmonds (Con., Duddeston, Birmingham) moved a demand for more rapid expansion of the Royal Air Force. The first was that Britain lags far behind other European countries—notably the Soviet and Germany—in her air defence programme. The second was a doubt about the efficiency of London's defences expressed by the Minister for Co-ordination of Defence, Sir Thomas Inskip. Sir Thomas said: "I believe 25ft of concrete would be necessary to keep out a 5001b armour-piercing bomb. It is quite impossible for the Government to j protect people on that scale. Our aircraft defences—guns, searchlights, detector iiXtruments. and other methods—are the best that can be devised. What more can the Government doi" Mr. Simmonds, who is honorary secretary of the Parliamentary Air Com-, mission, and an aeronautical consultant, criticised the rate of Royal Air Force expansion. He said that since May, 1934, the Government had added only 34 additional squadrons of the 71 due for completion by March 31 next. Programme Two Years in Arrears? From , information before the House Mr. Simmonds found that, in the last four months of 1935, ten new squadrons had been added. During 1936, 22 more were constructed, and so far in 1937 two squadrons. "If we proceed at the same rate," he said, "three years will be required to build the remaining squadrons. One must therefore come to the unpalatable conclusion that our expansion programme is between one and two years in arrears." Mr. Simwonds said he had visited Germany in 1935, and had been shown round aircraft factories. He estimated that Germany had at least 3000 frontline war 'planes. He instanced the efficiency of the modern Junkers 270 m.p.h. bombers, which were being turned out in vast numbers. These Junkers craft were of relatively short range, and probably were not intended for an attack on Russia, Mr. Simmonds said, but for use in another direction— a point which should be borne in mind! "Shadow Scheme" Starts in 1938. The most urgent change needed at the moment was in the organisation of primary supplies. He knew of aircraft factories having been forced to wait Sβ to 45 weeks for lathes. Mr. Winston Churchill, a former Air Minister, said it clearly was no use protesting. Even if the full programme were completed by March 31, it still would not have given Britain parity with Germany, or anything like parity. It was clear that when 100 squadrons Mere completed the total would be barely half that of Germany. When 124 squadrons were completed, Germany would be etill further advanced.

In reply, Sir Thomas Inskip said that 87 squadrons had been formed at present, and it was anticipated that 100 would be formed by the end of March. He had not a word to say against the aircraft firms, but they* had underestimated the difficulties of large-scale production.

Regarding the "shadow scheme," lie said production would be begun at the Austin factory in autumn. Production of engines would begin in January, 1938.

REARMAMENT ORDERS. OVER £31,000,000 PLACED. British Official Wireless. (Received 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, February 3. In a written answer to a Parliamentary question, the Minister for Co-ordi-nation of Defence, Sir Thomas Inskip, states that between April 1 and December 31 last year rearmament orders to the value of £31,884,000 were placed in special and distressed areas.

JERRY-BUILT 'PLANES.

GERMANY'S EXPERIENCE. LONDON, January 28. The Nazi Air Minister, General Goering, informed Hcrr Hitler that "air armaments arc unsatisfactory," according to the "Daily Telegraph" Berlin correspondent. He says this ie die to the .fact that all Germany's lighter aircraft were built at such a fienzy of speed that they have proved technically unsuitable. Many of them have either been scrapped or relegated to the training class. The Junkers 52 bomber is regarded as Germany's most reliable model. Factories are at present being reorganised to make this type. It is understood that experience during the Spanish civil war has proved that the German models are not nearly as formidable as they were at first thought to be.