RIVALRY FOR AIR TRADE

Manawatu Times, Volume 60, Issue 232, 2 October 1935, Page 16

RIVALRY FOR AIR TRADE

: Guarded by Government-enforced secrecy, the Air Ministries of Great Britain, France, Germany, and Italy have taken over the production of oceangpanning airliner? in an effort to skim the rising cream of international trade. Al] four of these nations are attempting to build extra-size flying boats in order to obtain international commercial air supremacy. Their immediate goal is trade with America by the use of their own planes across the Atlantic. The United States, just as anxious as any other nation for expanded air commerce, is relying on private enterprise for the development of aircraft for the job. Thus far,, the United States seems to be out in the lead. Pan American Airways, with 32,1J00 miles of aerial trade routes already in operation outside the limits of the continental United States, dominates tho channels of commerce between the Americans and is reaching out across the Pacific to the Orient. These activities are the basis for a development which will transport mail and passengers both across the Atlantic in flying boats and pilots whose ability is based on a background of millions of hours’ experience in trans-oceanie flying. Already European Governments\have invested three years and many million pounds in an effort to produce multiengined marine aircraft to compete

Nations in Competition

with America’s big flying “clippers.” These latter, 20-ton, four-engined, flying boats, are to have a 26-ton younger brother, a Martin ocean transport now completing tests at Baltimore. The French are eclipsing the Martin with a 37-ton experiment, the Lieut, do Vasseau, which recently cracked up in tests in France, but will soon be ready for more trials. It is powered by six 800-horsepower engines and was constructed by the French Government at a cost of about £60,000 for the French international air line, Air France. At present Great Britain is testing the first of a new group of four-engined flying boats in a flight in easy stages from Plymouth, the original testing ground to Borneo. Signor Mussolini is known to be concentrating much of his attention to the development of Italy’s ocean-going aviation. Within the last year he has welded into one operating unit, owned outright by the Government, all operating air lines. Reliable but unofficial sources say that Italy is soon to come out with flying boats which will bo dispatched from Rome not only to the Far Eeast, but across both the north and south Atlantic., Russia, rapidly becoming one of the most air-minded nations in the world, has not thus far given any indication of her intentions in the international flying field.