MORE THAN EVER

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 97, 24 March 1941, Page 7

MORE THAN EVER

BRITAIN'S RESERVE PLANES

SIX NEW TYPES. LONDON, March 23. Tlie Minister of Aircraft Production (Lord Beaverbrook), in an address to-day, declared thai Britain has more fighters and bombers in reserve than- at any other time in her history.

Six new types of planes had been evolved by our research men—"the boys in the back room," as the Minister \ termed them—-in the last six months, including the Beaufighter. In addition, the Hurricane and Spitfire had been vastly improved upon. Lord Beaverbrook said we should look with hope to the union of the two sundered fragments of the AngloSaxon race after the war was won.

A British Official Wireless report says that, giving an' account of the state of British aeroplanes last Wednesday, when the returns were brought in, Lord Beaverbrook said: "Our storage houses are in line condition. The tally showed that aircraft were all ready for action and ready for immediate operations in a record number, surpassing anything that had gone before and anything in the history of aviation. Both fighters and bombers had reached the highest total in our history.

As for new production, we had a record in February, both in fighters and b'ombers. Engine production in that month was very tine, too, although not a record. "We are very confident about the position in the main repair depots," said the Minister. "From damaged aircraft and from salvage of every description we' get much material for other purposes. 'Pots of gold' we call these discoveries, and there will be a fine output of repaired engines. The engine repair organisation has reached a high level of efficiency, in turning old engines into new." - Saying that research was one of the most important branches of the Aircraft Ministry, Lord Beaverbrook continued : "Production is important, but improvement is even more important. We must give constant, vigilant attention to all problems of experiment and innovation. They are always being examined day rnd night, and in the last nine months we Imve done more development work than ever before. The men who are responsible have brought into operation during that period six new types of aircraft —the Beaufighter, Fulmar, Whirlwind, Stirling, Halifax, and Manchester. They have watched the Hurricane and Spitfire being lifted up until now these rate 'high, wide, and handsome."

"There are at this moment two new aircraft passing from the development stage to production. Behind those two aircraft are several other new types. 'J.'hey will be in production one day—and perhaps an early day. Five new engines during nine* months have been brought from experiment to manufacture."