AMERICAN AID

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20620, 22 November 1941, Page 5

AMERICAN AID

FIGHT IN THE AIR MANY MACHINES PERFORMANCE PRAISED MAINTENANCE PROBLEMS (Elec. Tel. Copyright—United Press Asp.n.) (British Official Wireles3.) Reed. noon. RUGBY, Nov. 21. Major-General Brett, the chief of the United States Army Air Corps, who is shortly leaving London for Cairo, spoke to-day of the part American aircraft are playing in the Libyan campaign. “A great many American aircraft are going to the Middle East at the present time,” he said. “That is no secret, but I would not like to say what proportion of the total United States production of machines is represented. “If the attack in Libya continues for a long time, I think there will be no doubt that replacements in the air will be American machines. I know the Royal Air Force in the Middle East has been tremendously increased with our equipment, and here in England certain classes of our equipment are spoken of very highly. Other classes have not' had high enough periormance to meet the enemy opposition in Europe, although the same planes, due to the failure of the enemy to provide their forces with high performance aircraft, are perfectly suitable for operations in the Middle East. “There is in the Middle East a tremendous maintenance problem, but we are learning every day and this will be one of the matters into which I shall go when I return to Cairo. Indeed, we talk of maintenance all the time. I have visited several operational units in the Western Desert which use American aircraft and have found junior pilots very enthusiastic about their performance. I think the British Government is planning to more or less standardise all American equipment in the Middle East.