AIR DEFENCE FORCE FOR AUSTRALIA

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 46, 24 February 1920, Page 2

AIR DEFENCE FORCE FOR AUSTRALIA

(FROM OUR OWN COMESI'ONDENT.)

SYDNEY, 7th Februaiy. The prospects for the establishment of an air defence force for Australia have materially improved. Not only does the Federal Government intend to seek the service of experts, but inquiries have been instituted as to the capacity of the engineering works in Australia, for the construction and maintenance- of aircraft. General Legge, Chief, of the General Staff, lias. recommended that the following scheme of- organisation should be adopted by Australia :—

Sixteen nir squadrons of 25 planes each.

Two flying boat squadrons. Two hundred large passenger planes for commercial. use.

A large central flying school and ten to twelve aerodromes.

An establishment to manufacture engines ;>.nd the metal parts of planes. The- personnel would be partly permanent, and partly militia. The capital expenditure is estimated, at £1,5C0,CC0, and the annual upkeep at- £1,000,000. Gener-al. Legge argues that- this.. would npt.be a wasteful.or useless expenditure. The air squadrons would.police the air, carry on reconnaissances of the coast- and interioi, assist, in charting unknown parts by aerial photography, carry mails to the far-distant centres of Central . and Nortlirwesi Australia, and assist in- Go-vornment-.adTninistrati-on and, exploration where-ordinary means of transit fail. The force engaged generally on this, work would be-available to. man eighteen, fighting squadrons of specialised fighting machines-, if the necessity arose, and' their duty then would-bo to patrol tlie air, and fight, .destroy, or drive down hostile airman.