SABOTAGE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 73, 28 March 1938, Page 5

SABOTAGE.

1 AIR FORCE 'PLANES. a t | HOLES IN PETROL TANKS. ' j BOMBERS AWAITING TESTS. \ Holes the size of a match head, dis- a .'covered in the ]*>trol tanks of two a newly-built high-speed K.A.F. bombers 'awaiting test?, and the result of j sabotage, were the subject of investiga- < tions at Kingway. North Cheshire. The 1 inquiries were carried out by Air Minis- 1 ' ; try experts and Cheshire County Police.u Ministry Statement. I The damage was discovered shortly, i after the aircraft—two Fairey B-ittle;' 1 type fast-medium bombers—-had been! - wheeled out of the Fairey Aviation | i Company's assembly shops ready for jtest flights. ! ! The Air Ministry issued the following •'statement:— I i Damage to two aircraft about to Del 'j tested was recently discovered at j ' | Ivingway aerodrome. There is reason 'to believe that the damage was' ' malicious, and the matter is under | * investigation by the police. . There were eight bombers in the j hangars in various stages of assembly. : r Made With Drill. The parts are brought to the aerodrome by road from Stockport, but it is thought there is little likelihood of; the damage having been done in the Stockport works or while the tank--were in transit. The holes were made with a drill or similar sharp instrument. 1 The most serious aspect of the my--jtery to the investigating experts ir; that .'the holing of petrol tanks is the safest ] j method of holding up aircraft prodiTt- ! tion. -j As the tanks are examined before the, s j first test flight, it is impossible that aj f I machine damaged in this way would j--11'permitted to fly. But to repair the holes 1.1 takes at least 16 hours-

When the damage was discovered the Air Ministry immediately telephoned ihe Chief Coiir-table of Cheshire, Major I. Bock. He dispatched detectives to the works. While "planes wheeled above the aerodrome. officers interrogated workmen in the ar-senibly sho]>s. Already a considerable number of the 70 to SO men and youths employed here on assembling of parts built at the Fairey Stockport works have been interviewed. All are incensed at what they regard as a particularly clumsy and foolish attempt at saltotage. Major T. M. Barlow, general manager of the Fairey Company, said that the matter was now completely in the hands of the Air Ministry. Strict precaution* are taken to keep unauthorised persons from the part of the aerodrome where the bombers are assembled behind closed doors in big green-roofed buildings. There is no regular police guard, but iwatchmen are on duty day and night.