AIR DEFENCE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 50, 29 January 1937, Page 7

AIR DEFENCE

PROGRESS AT HOME. WORK ACCELERATED. CONSTRUCTION OF ’PLANES. (United Press Association.—By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) (British Official Wireless.) Received January 29, 11.24 a.m. RUGBY, Jan. 28. The Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence (Sir Thomas Inslcip) gave the House of Commons an outline of the progress so far made with Britain’s rearmament programme in relation to air defence.

He recalled that in the years 1930 to 1934 the average number of air frames and engines was round about 700 or 750 for the whole year for the Royal Air Force 1 These numbers were only a fraction of what was required in the annual output. The present position was that 87 squadrons had now been formed, 13 of which were still on the one-flight basis. Others of the squadrons were over-strength in personnel, with a sufficient number of aircraft for training purposes. It was anticipated that 100 squadrons would be formed by the end of March, of, which 22 would be on the one-flight basis. If expectations were fulfilled a further 24 squadrons would be completed by July. He . estimated that there had been a lag of three or four months on the original schedule, but the line of production was on a slowly rising scale and would become steeper as the months went by. He explained the technical difficulties of getting such a large programme under production and _expressed the view that, as the problems were solved. the programme would be full} 7 attained and maintained. Rearmament was not the Government’s objective; political appeasement and economic cooperation alone could bring lasting peace. A scheme for the formation of antiaircraft units or sub-units from players and supporters of football clubs has been approved by Football League clubs in the London area.EXTENT OF EXPANSION. GOOD PROGRESS AT HOME. LONDON, Jan. 27. “Stop this rubbish. Only a farmers’ policy can save the country and stop war,” shouted a man from the public gallery of the House of Commons at the opening of a debate on air defences. The Minister for the Co-ordination of the Defence Services (Sir Thomas Inskip), replying to the debate, regretted that various speakers had made references to Germany, to which country Britain had nothing but the friendliness and most peaceable intentions. Experience has shown how laborious must be the process of building up the air defences to capacity after a long, leisurely period of production. Nevertheless, Britain was a long way ahead of the schedule achievable by the old method. There would have been no difficulty in forming squadrons if the Government had taken the easier path of ordering old instead of new types of machines. It was anticipated that 100 squadrons would be formed by the end of March. The rate of progress would be accelerated as the months passed. The position with regard to -shadow” factories, said the Minister, \i as that they, would begin the production of air frames in the Austin factory in the autumn and engines in January, 1938. The erection of other factories was reaching an advanced stage. Provision had been made for the air defence of London, including a balloon barrage, the Minister added.