AMERICAN PLANES

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 179, 26 April 1941, Page 12

AMERICAN PLANES

FOR BRITAIN Large Deliveries Made

i British Offlcial Wireless., RUGBY, April 23

Speaking in the House of Lords, Lord Beaverbrook, Minister of Ail - craft Production, disclosed that Britain had received what he referred to as “immense American deliveries” of aircraft. More than 1000 assembled American and Canadian aeroplanes, including Canadian Hurricanes, had been handed over to the R.A.F. “I am prepared to say with-.authority that they find the machines ready to fly and fight,” he said.

In the last few days, Lord Beavetbrook said, Britain had received 95 aircraft by sea, 355 tons of aeroplane parts, and 326 engines. After stating that there had been a steady drain-on aircraft shipments because of losses in convoy, Lord Beaverbrook added: "The disappointment sustained has been somewhat .dissipated by the knowledge that the flow of aircraft from the United States is now increasing with such rapidity that we shall one day, for. a certainty, reach the supply I was authorized by the United States to promise just six months ago.” A German broadcast, he said, had announced the discontinuance of the sending of aircraft from the United States to Britain by air because the losses had been so severe. In fact, though ferrying had been taking place ever since last autumn and all through the winter, only • one aeroplane had been lost. That was one of a group of five, four of which were lauded safely. The fifth had turned back to ask for its bearings and landed in trees in Newfoundland. Unfortunately that one carried a passenger—Sir Frederick Banting. The Atlantic ferry service would continue, and probably- would be extended as it was hoped that fighters would be flown over as well as bombers. • \

New Types Of Engines.

Speaking of engines, the Minister described those of American manufacture as "indeed most valuable and i-f excellent quality." The Sabre engine was perhaps one of the greatest engines ever produced, and he continued, “We are working on some very new engines, and engines of very interesting types—types that will be quite surprising in power.” Dealing with Nazi claims to have caused disaster to the British aircraft industries, Lord Beaverbrook gave an example of the dispersal which had caused these claims to be brought to nought. One plant (done which to occupy a single site was now scattered over five counties, with 42 separate centres of production. lie revealed that the aeroplane reserve had now reached 100 per cent., but added: “Do not let it be supposed for a moment that we are satisfied with that reserve. Far from it. We think the R.A.F. i.s entitled to 200 or 300 per cent., and that will be Hie object and purpose of the aircraft industry." Aircraft-production lie described in a colloquial phrase as “not bad,” and he continued: "In February we produced more bombers and fighters of operational type than ever before. March was again a record month. The March output of fighters and bombers and other operational lyia-s was two and a half times the product ior. cf March last."