AIRCRAFT OUTPUT IN AUSTRALIA

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 283, 26 August 1944, Page 7

AIRCRAFT OUTPUT IN AUSTRALIA

Tremendous Growth (By Telegraph-Press Assn. -Copyright.) (Special Australian Correspondent.) SYDNEY, August 25. The vast development of the Australian aircraft industry is revealed in a survey just issued by the Department of Aircraft Production. The types of aircraft now being manufactured here include Lancaster heavy bombers. Mosquito fighter-bombers, Beaufighter attack planes. Boomerang interceptor-fighters, Beaufort torpedo bombers as well as other operational aircraft at present on the secret list. A small number of gliders have also been produced during the last IS months. Indicative of the capacity of the Australian aircraft industry is the disclosure that during the past two years, spare parts alone have been manufactured to the value of £40,090,000. Spare parts to the value of £6,000,000 have been made available to the United States air forces in the south-west Pacific. These parts include 'engine accessories, air frames, propellers, instruments, armaments and electrical apparatus. One major item of supplies was body tanks ( jettisonable auxiliary fuel tanks whic.i extend the range of aircraft), which alone ran to £2,000.090 worth, permitting American bombers and fighters to undertake long distance raids on Japanese bases. . . Several hundred aero engines ol twelve hundred horsepower have been manufactured for Beaufort bombers, but Australia's capacity to build air frames has so outstripped engine production that large numbers of engines have bad to be imported from the United States for Beaufort and Boomerang aircraft. Australia’s production programmes for Tiger Moths, Wackett trainers, De Havilland Dragons and gliders have already been completed, and Wirraway fighter-bombers are being produced only in sufficient number to meet R.A.A.L'. replacements.