British Production And Training

Evening Star, Issue 23832, 12 March 1941, Page 7

British Production And Training

New Types Of Bombers And Fighters Big Offensive Against Enemy Promised (British Official Wireless.) Press Association-By Telegraph-Copyright RUGBY, March 11.

(Received March

Only brief reference to the actual achievements of the R.A.F. was made by the Secretary for Air (Sir Archibald Sinclair) to-day, when he presented the 'Air Estimates in the House of Commons. His speech was mainly devoted to the developments and expansion •which have taken place and are in prospect in regard* to personnel and materials,' as well as organisation and an account of the new types of British and American manufacture.

Sir Archibald Sinclair expressed his own belief that the war was about to enter a-grimmer phase, but he was completely confident of the final issue. This confidence, he said, was based primarily on the R.A.F. achievements, which he summarised in two graphic sentences. He said: “In the last 10 months in two theatres of war the R.A.F. has fought against very great odds, but not without success, as the destruction mainly by our incomparable fighter squadrons of some 4,250 German and 1,100 Italian aircraft for the loss in combat of fewer than 1,800 aircraft of our own, the security of our shores, and the part played by the in the disruption of the Italian Empire, combine to testify. Our bombers have made 280 raids on aerodromes and seaplane bases, 300 on docks and shipping, 470 on railways and communications, and 630 on industrial targets—all these in/Germany. Many heavy raids have also been made on objectives in occupied territory.”

Speaking of the work of the Coastal Command, which included convoy patrol and attacks on enemy shipping bases and U-boats, he said: • “ These aircraft have flown 16,000,000 miles in the course of their duties. The air war both at home and in the Middle East will be continued. It is not being fought by the R.A.F. Fleet Air Arm alone. Squadrons from Canada, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, the Rhodcsias, and squadrons manned by men from India, Newfoundland, and all the Colonial Empire are playing their part in the battle.” PILOTS IN INDIA. “ Full-scale training organisations are being formed in India to train pilots for the R.A.F. in India and for the Indian Air Force. In Burma also flying training organisations have been established. In addition to these schemes we- have transferred abroad a number of schools from this country, and training is being carried out all over the world unhindered by enemy action and by black-out conditions. Every instructor and every pupil is able to concentrate on his job and nothing but the job.” THE INDUSTRIAL SIDE. Paying a tribute on behalf of the Air Ministry to those who in the crisis of the battles of France and Britain last year served so well behind the line in the production of aircraft, Sir Archibald Sinclair said that, first and foremost, they must thank the workmen in the factories. Executives, scientists, designers, civilians, and airmen of the aircraft storage units and in .other groups of the maintenance command, who worked all hours equipping aircraft Ifor battle and repairing them, also deserved the thanks of Parliament. The efforts of the Ministry of Aircraft Production had resulted in increasing the flow of production and in bringing,on as rapidly as possible the new types of bombers and fighters with which Britain would engage the enemy this year. The latest models of Spitfires and Hurricanes were now in service, fitted with more powerful engines, considerably increasing their speeds and providing the ability to fight at much greater heights, while the heavier armament increased the fire power. jSr jr MORE SPEED AND POWER. The new Hawker Tornado was •quipped with engines of nearly twice the horse power of the fighters which bore the brunt of the Battle of Britain, and could carry still heavier armament and yet obtain a speed well in excess of 400 miles an hour. Other engines of as great as or even greater power were coming on. “ In the twin-engine fighter types we have Whitleys, and for long-range fighter operations and for night fighting Beaufighters, each with very heavy armament,” he said. “Of the bombers

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the Hampdens, Wellingtons, and Whitleys have in the past constituted the R.A.F.’s main offensive armament. The latest models are fitted with more powerful engines, which give increased performance and striking power. '

“ The older models are being replaced by a range of very much heavier bombers, including the Sterling, Manchester, and Halifax. All three have already proved their worth. These bombers are more than twice the size of any earlier type. They are faster and carry heavier defence armament. They can carry three times the weight of bombs for the same distance. MEN OF ALLIED NATIONS. “ A great and increasing clement in strength is being contributed by the squadrons of Poland, Czecho-Slovakia, and Holland, and the Free French, Belgian, and Norwegian airmen fighting with the R.A.F. There is another Squadron of which I venture to prophesy members will bear more before long—the Eagle Squadron, mounted on Hurricanes and manned by American pilots.” While the number of officers and men provided for in the Estimates could not be given, he said, the . strength of one R.A.F. command alone exceeded the total peace strength of the whole R.A.F. by nearly 50 per cent., while two other commands had a strength equal to more than half the peace-time total. This expansion, he added, could be enormously accelerated during the year 1941-42. MEDICAL SERVICES. .■-Sir Archibald Sinclair dealt with the recuperative and medical services devoted to the R.A.F., and spoke of the recreation available and of care taken to provide quiet quarters for pilots engaged in fighting. He stressed the need for the psychological care of pilots and said; “ The fighting spirit of our pilots is so strong that unless they are closely watched they keep on flying long after they should have been rested from operations.” Four most up-to-date orthopsedic centres had been provided, as well as centres for tbo most modern treatment, progress of which he • described as astonishing, for burns. He thought progress in the self-scaling tank and other devices would substantially reduce the risk from this form of injury. Turning to training, he said no reduction in the standard would bo accepted in spite of the difficulties caused by carrying bn training in as many as four shifts. EMPIRE SCHEME. Of the training overseas he said: “ The success of the Empire air training scheme has surpassed all expectations, and, together with other training schemes in the dominions, it is making an increasing contribution to our air strength. In Canada output of pilots and crews is well ahead of schedule, and there has been an expansion of training in Australia and New Zealand. Men trained under the scheme are now daily flying against the enemy, and in the battles of this year our cause will be sustained by Canadians, Australians, New Zealanders, and men from this country trained side by side. Men trained in the great organisation in South Africa and also Rhodesia come to us in increasing numbers. In addition to these large-scale schemes, the Colonial Governments in Malaya, Trinidad, Bermuda have themselves devised arrangements for giving elementary flying training. CIVIL AVIATION. After referring to ground organisation developments. Sir Archibald Sinclair made passing reference to civil aviation, the effect of the war on which had inevitably been restrictive in this country. He said: “The experience gained in operating and developing the wartime services will be precious in the future.”. Sir Archibald Sinclair continued: “ We must not repeat after this war our failure after the last war to foster and stimulate the development of civil aviation. AMERICAN AIRCRAFT. “ The R.A.F. is now on the threshold of its period of greatest expansion. During the next 12 months we shall be absorbing in rapidly increasing numbers the products not only of Britain, but also of American industry.- Harvard training and Lockheed-Hudson general reconnaissance aircraft have proved by long and arduous service the excellence and robustness of American design, and the latest make of Hudson shows an improvement upon its famous predecessors. The types of American aircraft now reaching units of the R.A.F. throughout the world include such fighters as the Buffalo and the Movack.. The remarkable performances of our aircraft are well instanced by

the Greene-Martin Maryland medium bomber, which shows its ability to outpace the Boston, which is sufficiently fast and manoeuvrable to undertake night fighting operations as well as its designed function. Despite-their speed, both these aircraft are capable of carrying much heavier bomb loads than the comparable bombers in service last year, while the Consolidated Liberal type of heavy bomber will give us ascent with high speed and a huge bomb load capacity. From the Consolidated Company also come Catalin flying boats, which with their great range, form an essential reinforcement of the Coastal Command.

Speaking of co-operation with the Fleet Air Arm, ho said: “The R.A.F. spares no effort to help the Royal Navy and the Fleet Air Arm against air and under-sea attacks upon our trade. The Coastal Command, whose operations have always conformed to the requirements of the Admiralty, has been strengthened and is being strengthened further. Aerodromes have been developed from which . our aircraft may guard more easily the western approaches. Aircraft of greater endurance and longer range are being brought into service, and technical apparatus which will enable aeroplanes more readily to hunt the U-boat is being steadily Improved. POLICY OF ATTACK. The predominant theme of our policy in the Air Ministry is to attack—to attack upon the very sources of Germany’s military power. To attack effectively, however, we must attack from a secure base, and there are two dangers against which we are constantly strengthening our defences — attacks upon .ur shipping and the night bomber. These tasks call for unremitting effort upon the part of scientists, engineers, the air staff, command pilots, and the maintenance personnel. I will not be optimistic about the menace of night attacks, but I know our methods of defence are gradually improving, and we shall exact from the night bombers, as we have already begun to exact from them, an increasing toll. FUTURE PROSPECTTS,

Discussing the prospects,' Sir Archibald Sinclair said: “Leaving out of account reserves, we have destroyed half of the Italian first line. We have certainly destroyed much more than half of the German first line.

“ As to our output, I will only say this; The day strength of the R.A.F. in spite of the tremendous battles and continuing offensive is very much greater now than when the battle of Britain began last August. It is greater in numbers, aircraft, and pilots in the frontline, greater in the number of aircraft in the services and the pilots under training, greater both absolutely and respectively to the air strength of Germany. It will be no easy task to defeat Nazi Germany, but it can and will be done, There are sound grounds for confidence as we look forward into the future of Britain, for the power of the R.A.F. is growing and its spirit will never fail.’’-