TRANSPORT SUPER-PLANE

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 April 1937, Page 7

TRANSPORT SUPER-PLANE

FOR HIGH ALTITUDES

U.S.A. MILITARY SECRET [3Y CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] BURBANK (California), April 15. It is revealed that a huge transport aeroplane designed to fly in the substratosphere at a height of more than 30,000 feet above the earth is nearing completion by the Lockheed Company. The project is being financed by the United States Army Air Corps. It is a military secret, and the work is being carried on behind locked doors. Guards warn visitors away from the isolated hangar. The machine is of the same type as Mrs. Amelia Earhart Putnam’s aeroplane in which she recently made an attempt on a world flight, but it has an extra layer of duraluminum casing. It has no windows, and the exterior engines are highly supercharged to function in rarified altitudes.

STRENGTH OF POWERS. NEW YORK, April 15. The “Aircraft Year Book” for 1937, published by the Aeronautical Chamber of Commerce of America, lists the military air strength • of the world’s Powers, as follows: — Britain 4000 France 3600 Russia 3400 Italy .... .. 3200 Germany 3000 United States .. .. 2200 Japan 2000 The Year Book comments on the rise of Germany from seventh to fifth place in 1936. It credits the United States with the leadership of the world in motor development, and in the speed of aircraft designed to carry heavy loads. FLIGHT TO CAPE TOWN. (Received April 16, 1 p.m.) SYDNEY, April 16. Advice was received at Sydney that Mrs. Bonney had arrived at Sourabaya. WEATHER REPORTS. CANBERRA, April 24. New" officers are to be appointed to the Commonwealth Meteorological Service, immediately, to give effect to the Federal Government’s new programme for provision of regular and accurate weather reports for all main air routes. When the plan is brought into operation, pilots leaving any of the main aerodromes in the Commonwealth will he able to consult the meteorologist on duty at the aerodrome immediately before departure, and obtain last minute information regarding the weather conditions in which it is proposed to fly. N.Z. AIR FORCE TRAINING EXCHANGE SCHEME. [PER press association.] DUNEDIN, April 15. The Minister in charge of the Royal New Zealand Air Force (Hon. F. Jones) said to-day in an interview that the Government had, in furtherance of its policy of providing an efficient air force working in close cooperation with the Royal Air Force and other Dominion air forces, arranged for an exchange of New Zealand officers with Royal Air Force officers. The first officers to proceed to England under this agreement will be Squadron Leader M. W. Buckley, at present commanding the Royal New Zealand Air Force base at Auckland, and Flying Officer H. W. Duffey, at present stationed at Wigram aerodrome. “To overcome the difficulty of providing the necessary specialist officers, the Royal Air Force has agreed to send in exchange a specialist engineer and a specialist signals officer,” said the Minister. “It is, however, necessary that officers serving in the Royal New Zealand Air Force be trained as specialist officers, and the first step in this direction is being made by the dispatch of Flying Officer C. C. Hunter to England to attend a long signals course at the Royal Air Force electrical and wireless school. An officer is also being appointed to specialise in engineering duties. The advertisement referring to this appointment appeared m the Press of the Dominion on March IS. When selected, this officer will receive nine months’ flying training in the Dominion and will then proceed to England to attend a long engineering course. “The conditions under wjuch these exchanges and attachments have been arranged were discussed during the Imperial Conference of 1926, and agreement was reached between the two Governments in 1927. The existence of this agreement has greatly facilitated the introduction of the present scheme, which enables New Zealand officers to receive very valuable experience abroad, and' provides the specialist officers essential to the Royal New Zealand Air Force at the present time.”