WORLD’S AIRCRAFT

Evening Star, Issue 22882, 14 February 1938, Page 14

WORLD’S AIRCRAFT

THE AMERICAN LEAD • \ ' development in planes A British survey of world aircraft has noted an “ enormous ” increase in the size and efficiency of the United States Air Force to “one of the biggest and possibly the most efficiently armed ” in the world (says a London message to the ‘ Chicago Tribune ). 0 G. Grey made the ranking in his preface to the 1937 edition of Janes ‘ All the World’s Aircraft.’ He credited German fighting planes with .being equal in power and performance to American and British craft, “ though not in numbers.” Asserting that all countries were building light bombers of tremendous speeds, he told how fast American and German airliners had produced “ a complete turn around” from heavy bombers. It was a “ ridiculous situation,” then, he declared, which found passenger airliners “ nearly twice as fast as heavy bombers in all air forces. In fact, a year ago some big and medium American passenger machines .were fast if fitted with guns, to chase most of the world’s high-speed fighters out of the sky.” Since then, he cited British development of the Blenheim bomber, able to exceed 300 miles an hour, and German concentration on high-speed _ twin-en-gined aircraft under the guidance of Ernst Udet, stunt flyer. Grey observed that large bombers needed big crews, and could be downed with one anti-aircraft shot, while smaller craft split the risk and had higher performances. _ Other points made in his survey included : ’ 1. France has fallen behind other Powers in technical advances. 2. Indiscriminate bombing of large cities to break the morale of the populace “ always is dangerous to the bombing country, because itmay stir up a national spirit which hitherto has not been particularly concerned with war.” 3. Aerial warfare in Spain in the last year has been between “ Italian and German supporters ” of the insurgents and “ French and Russian supporters of the Government.” None of the first Spanish planes survived, he said. In reference to the successful performances attributed to “ Russian planes in support of the Red (Madrid) Government in Spain,” Grey said flatly; “ Those planes definitely have been of American design and most likely of American construction.” The volume said little was known of Russia’s air force, although it was conceded to be “ enormous.” Russian planes seen outside the Soviet, however, the book added, either frankly were copies of other countries’ designs or “ a combination of antique ideas.”