AIR STRENGTHS OF ALLIES AND NAZIS

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 October 1939, Page 6

AIR STRENGTHS OF ALLIES AND NAZIS

BRITAIN’S HUGE RESERVES LONDON, Sept. 14. It is easy to assess the naval strength of any Power, because when warships are once launched their existence cannot be kept secret. To some extent army formations can be tabulated likewise, but air forces are not on at all the same footing.

Some time ago the Prime Minister first-line strength was not a criterion, and he was right. Air strength consists in the potential output of machines with all their appurtenances, of pilots and crews, and of mechanics. In the last two years the factories have been turning out machines and engines at an everincreasing pace, and undoubtedly the R.A.P. is now very much stronger than it was two years ago. Some of the effort has been devoted to replacements of old types, but even so the numbers of machines and crews which we can put into the air are certainly much greater than in 1937. Our reserves must now have reached a formidable figure. The number of squadrons has naturally not been made public. Conseqcntly we must be content to know that our actual air strength is very formidable.

Still Jess is it possible or desirable to publish the figures of French air strength. It is common knowledge that some time ago the production of machines for the Amec do I’Air was not all that could be desired. It is also known that of late that state of affairs has been splendidly reformed and that French air power is now satisfactory in quality and quantity. French pilots and French mechanics have always been first-class, and the spirit of Georges Guynemer still lives among their fighter pilots. The strength of the air corps of the German Army has always been something of a mystery. Recently Italian papers published a statement that in June last year the first line strength of the Germans were 3000 machines, but that by April of this year it had risen to 6000, of which 3000 were bombers, 2000 were fighters, and 1000 were reconnaissance aircraft. These figures may be received with a grain of salt. For one thing, the technical paper Flight pointed out that in several instances the performances figures given were over-optimistic. The Axis partner ma> well have been anxious to exalt Gerair power for obvious reasons. An increase of 100 per cent, in nine months is not to be credited. We can readily believe that the German best is very good. British pilots who have visited their crack squadrons were much impressed by their high efficiency. Their fastest fighters are the Messerschmitt 109 and the Heinkel f ill. But we may feel equally confident that the average figure of German air merit is well below the British average. There is reason to believe that their training methods are very inferior to those of the R.A.F., and that casualties i at the German training schools have sometimes been very high. It is common knowledge that Germany for some time past has had to economise in petrol and that does not suggest that all her pilots have been able to put in so many flying hours as our pilots do. All our pilots are now exceedingly well trained.