AUSTRALIAN BOMBERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 1, 1 July 1939, Page 8

AUSTRALIAN BOMBERS

PROBLEM OF RUNWAYS

SURVEY OF THE AERODROMES

(From "The Post's" Representative.) SYDNEY, June 23. Costly extensions to many strategic aerodromes will be necessary when the Lockheed Hudson bombers for the Royal Australian Air Force are in commission. The Commonwealth will take delivery of the first- batch of the 50----machine order from the United States in August. The Defence Department has notified the Civil Aviation Department that runways of 1500 yards in two directions will be required. The defence authorities state also that it would be advisable to have the same length of runway for the new Bristol Beaufort machines, the first of which are to be obtained from England. Previously runways at 1000 yards were . contemplated. These, are sufficient for the largest commercial machines. The extensions asked by the Air Force will mean a considerable increase in expenditure. The Minister for' Civil .Aviation, Mr. Fairbairn, said that Parafield (South Australia) and Archerfield (Queensland) appeared to be the only metropolitan aerodromes that could be extended without heavy additional expense.

In a forthcoming , survey of civil aerodromes in Australia Mr. Fairbairn will travel about 30,000 miles by commercial airliner. He will inspect the more important of the 320 aerodromes in Australia, Mr, Fairbairn will tour in commercial airliners to study at first-hand problems facing pilots of the high-speed planes which are now standard equipment.

The first batch of Lockheeds were originally due in Australia this month, but the American manufacturers recently notified inability to deliver before August. The last of the 50 machines ordered by Australia will reach here in January.