INDIA’S AIR FORCE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLVI, Issue 2, 1 December 1925, Page 8

INDIA’S AIR FORCE.

NOTABLE OPERATIONS OFFICIAL CRITICISMS. CALCUTTA, Nov. 20. Very interesting details are contained in a despatch published to-day under the signatures of General' Sir Claude Jacob, late Acting Commandor-in-chief and Air Vice-Marshal Sir Edward Ellington, commanding the air forces in India, . ~ During March, April and May the Royal Air Forces was solely responsible for the operations in Waziristan, where the results were most satisfactory, though Sir Claude Jacob believes that better results would have been secured had'the military combined in the operations. Operations lasted 54 days, and on 42 out of the first 45 days bombing was carried out. This is said to be the longest continuous ’ operation earned out by aircraft since the close of the war. War flying done totalled 2070 hours, and other flying in connection with the operations amounted to 650 hours.' There was only one fatal accident, two pilots and one machine being lost. Sir Edward Ellington says that the difficulties of the operations were greatly enhanced owing to the late date on which the Indian Government sanctioned the operations, the best weather then being over, while an under estimate of the financial requirements of the Royal Air Force during 1924-25, had resulted in a shortage of the necessary number of serviceable aeroplanes and engines.