POWER IN THE AIR

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 55, 2 September 1937, Page 8

POWER IN THE AIR

>THE FORCE OF ITALY

TWO THOUSAND PLANES

Italy 'recently celebrated the fourteenth anniversary of the founding of the Italian Royal Air Force. The principal ceremony was held in Rome, on the Palatine Hill, says the "Daily

Express."

The King and Signor Mussolini, both in aviation uniform, were present at a parade of 8000 pilots and hundreds of thousands of Air Force men and flying pupils from all centres of Italy. Regimental flags, squadron banners, and decorations won by flying units were ce*remqniously conferred. These emblems were handed over to colour parties gathered in fee-picturesque surroundings of the ancient stadium. The King's post of honour, was on' a Roman marble throne.

The ritual was marked with an innovation—periodic bursts of machine-gun fire and the explosion of bombs. For two hours the city sounded more like Madrid than Rome.

All the Diplomatic Corps and a great number of the public attended the ceremony. Martial music, a glimpse, of spring sunshine, fluttering pennants, and colour everywhere created a stirring scene in that historical site.

The day also marked the inauguration of Italy's aviation service. When Signor Mussolini -came into power the Italian Air Force was a subsidiary arm under an Air Commissary.

WHAT WAS ACHIEVED. It consisted only of about seventy machines an% 500 officers and other ranks, with no civil aviation whatever. Created, by Signor Mussolini as the "Italian Royal Air Force" in 1923, it had, after ten years, more than 1500 machines, 22,000 officers and other ranks, a civil aviation covering a national network of 18,600 miles, and a useful total of world records in every department of flying from speed to altitude.

Periodical reforms increased the efficiency and strength of this fighting arm which the Duce considers not only the weapon of the future, but also Italy's most economic means of reaching the military potency .on which her claims as a first-class Power mustlarge.ly rest. The reorganisation, marking a further stage in this evolution of Italy's flying strength, has come into force. This new organisation, as detailed in the official Gazettes; shows that the Air Force now consists of a general staff, four territorial zone commands, an East Africa command, and commands for Sicily, Sardinia, the Aegean Islands, and Libya.

INTERIOR ORGANISATION.

■ Interior organisation consists of:— 1. Koyal Aeronautics, divided into police, fighting service, and specialists. 2. Air Force engineefs .and technicians

3. Commissariat and administration. 4. Medical corps. 5. Military and "war schools.. fi; Schools for applied _ Air Force arms. 7. Schools for specialists. ■

8. Schools lor observers, pilots, parachute work, invisible, and stratosphere flying. 9. A vast organisation to encourage flying "among students and higher schoolboys. Under this new arrangement the force comprises 93 aviation groups, 15 observation groups, and five assault groups (Stormi) operating with the Army; four naval air commands; and Colonial commands. The number of machines is not published, but an Air Force Group consists of two or more squadrons, and a squadron normally consists of about nine machines. The Air Force alone, therefore, is shown to have a minimum of 1674 machines. A "Stormi" normally consists of two or more groups. The-machines with the Army (between observation and assault) are/ therefore, shown to be about 450

The strength and composition of the naval and colonial commands, presumably, vary with circumstances. In comparison with the 500 all ranks of 1923 and the 22,000 of 1933, the Air Force strength today is given as 4087 officers and 8144 N.CIO.S. The" rank and file, plus aviation students, run far into six figures. Not satisfied with these totals, the new organisation allows for an expansion within the next four years to 7070 officers and 12,647 N.C.O.s.