AUSTRALIAN AIRCRAFT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23033, 10 May 1938, Page 12

AUSTRALIAN AIRCRAFT

MACHINES ON ORDER DELAY OVER DELIVERIES [from our own correspondent] SYDNEY, April 29 In spite of a statement by the Minister of Defence, Mr. H. V. Thorby, that Australia's programme of air expansion is proceeding according to schedule, it is no secret that the Royal Australian Air Force is having great difficulty in obtaining aircraft on order from Britain. Tho British Government itself is finding it hard to secure all the" production it desires, and Dominion orders are being delayed in consequence. In addition to new complete aircraft, the Australian Government's orders for equipment for machines already in service by the Royal Australian Air Force is behind the prepared schedule. To keep the existing units in being,' the Force has had to use reserve equipment. This, it is recognised, is dangerous, but with the failure of Britain to supply requirements, the Force had to face the position as best it could. Mr. Thorby stated that Australia had no need at the moment to import American aircraft. The Commonwealth was not associated with the visit to tho United States of a British mission to buy American warplanes. Deliveries ot" aircraft for the Air Force expansion programme were being maintained, and tho Commonwealth Aircraft Corporation's factory in Melbourne was working at full pressure to supply defcnco orders for locally-made aeroplanes.