SHIPS AND 'PLANES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 80, 5 April 1939, Page 11

SHIPS AND 'PLANES.

HUSTLE IN AMERICA. Air Strength To Reach 6000 Machines. 50TH WARSHIP LAUNCHED. United Press Association.—Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.) NEW YORK, April 4. The 50th warship of the national defence programme was launched at Quincy amid tooting of tugs and the cheers of thousands of spectators. It was the 14,700-ton aircraft-carrier Wasp, the largest vessel launched at Quincy in 14 years. The vessel cost 30,000.000 dollars and will carry 73 'planes. The United States Navy Department yesterday took the unprecedented step of calling for tenders from private shipbuilders for four destroyers and four submarines, for which Congress has not yet provided the. funds. This emphasises the speeding-up of the defence programme. The War Department is launching a programme to build the Air Corps to i>ooo 'planes, and has set as the immediate objective the delivery of 3000 within two years. It is said that the fastest of the new types will be capable of speeds up to 400 miles an hour. TRAGIC CRASH. 'Planes Collide When Hovering Over Launch. SPECTATORS HORRIFIED. (Received 1.30 p.m.) NEW YORK, April 4. Locking their wings as they dived towards the scene of the launching, two naval reserve 'planes crashed a quarter of a mile apart, killing all fonr members of the crew. The collision occurred at the precise moment that the bottle broke across the prow of the aircraft-carrier Wasp. One machine crashed into a house and set it on fire. Wind borne fragments of shattered wings fell among the horror-stricken spectators massed on the riverbanks.