AIRCRAFT IN SUBMARINES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19834, 3 January 1928, Page 9

AIRCRAFT IN SUBMARINES.

EXPEftMENTS IN BRITAIN,, NAVAL SECRET DIVULGED. SEQUEL TO RED TAPE METHOD. By Te>isgruph—Presa Association—Copyright. (Received January 2, 5.5 p.m.) A. and N.Z.-Sun. LONDON. Jan. 1. The first news of British submarines carrying aircraft appears in a routine announcement, of the London Gazette, whioh refers to the allowances to qualified members of tlha Air Arm of the Fleet, pilots, aaval observers and officers appointed to such submarines The Daily Express says the United States Navy has been experimenting with aeroplanes with folding wings which can be packed in cylinders and carried in submarines. The o arouncement, which notified an increase oi: 2s a day, starting from last June, to qualified fleet air officers concerned, has surprised naval circles, which for a long time had known o! experiments regarding the capability of submarines tc carry aircraft. However, the experiments were regarded as being in the very secret category and it was not expected, the Admiralty would reveal its activity iij this connection. It is stated that the experiments are not yet finished, owing to the difficult probkrn of the limited space in submarines in which to accommodate aircraft, but great progress has been made in this direction. .A t other us, vies are engaged in similar experiments, this iearfs to greater doubts as to the expediency of revealing what Britain is doing. A later message said th© news leaked out by mistake, owing to a r>jd tape regulation concerning the publication of rates of naval pay. The Admiralty has been taking extraordinary pains to keep the secret and naturally refusos any further information. The only comment in official quarters is that the London Gazette's disclosure is most unfortunate and ill-timed.