CANNON IN PLANES

Grey River Argus, 23 March 1940, Page 7

CANNON IN PLANES

OF BOTH SIDES German Night Raids Expected [British Official Wireless.] (Received March 22. 6.30 p.m.? RUGBY. March 22. The Parliamentary Under-Secretary for Air, Captain Balfour, in a speech at Margate, said: “The possibility oi a tip-and-run raid bv enemy aircraft, under the cloak of darkness, must be faced, but the daring. successful, telling raid on Tuesday night at Sylt showed that the lion had tieth a> well as wings.” Referring to progress made m building up such an air force as wouffi ensure mastery in the air, Captain Balfour recalled Sir Kingsley Wood'i ! estimate that the output of aircraft accruing to this country and to France was greater than the output in Germany. The weekly rate of output since the outbreak of the war had shown a steadv numerical increase, while ail who nad anv knowledge of the Roval- Air Force equipment knew that effective increase--that is to say the growth of the lighting strength of the > force —han never been greater. “The quality of British aircraft, added Caotain Balfour, “is splendid, but there is vet more to come, as new types now under- development eutei the service. No doubt the enemy would very much like to know lhe speed and armament of the new products, and this, in due course, tncy shall know, from practical: experience, when they meet our polits, and their cost. We are in the lead with modern devices that are of assistance in air warfare, and we intend to Keep this so. You have, perhaps, read something about German aircraft nting armed with cannon-guns, whim we have only got machine-guns, i can tell you. this is not so. and that, not only are our cannon-guns in iu.< production in this country, but our fighters, equipped with them, have already contributed to the destruction of some enemv machines ”