AIR DEFENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23134, 5 September 1938, Page 9

AIR DEFENCE

• CANADIAN CONTRACTS MACHINES FOR BRITAIN NEW FACTORIES TO BE BUILT CO-OPERATION OF INDUSTRY By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright (Received September 4, r>."> p.m.) Britisli Wireless RUGBY, Sept. 3 Official details of the scheme for the supply by Canadian firms of bombers for the Royal Air Force on a long-range programme of purchases are disclosed in a statement issued in Ottawa by the British Air Mission to Canada. The statement says that the firms concerned will increase their production of aircraft components by building two new central factories, one ;it Montreal and one at Toronto. A central company will lie formed in association with these firms to contract directly with the United Kingdom Government.

Arrangements for the manufacture of other types of aircraft involving the erection of additional plant at other centres such as Vancouver and Fort \\ illiatn, are being discussed. These arrangements will preclude any possibility of supplies for the Canadian military forces being prejudiced. The Air Minister, Sir Kingsley Wood, commenting on the conclusion of the British mission, said: "With the range which aircraft are now attaining, this development will augment our potential strength considerably. The scheme is a long-range one, but is based on the ready co-operation of the Canadian aircraft industry and of important. financial organisations. "I have no doubt that when the scheme has been finally approved, the same co-operation and help that the mission had in evolving it will assure its unqualified success in practice, and that progress will be expedited to the utmost extent."

The British Air Mission comprised Air Commodore A. H. Harris, Air Commodore .J. Weir. Commander C. John, .Mr. J'\ Bowarth, SquadronLoader C. K. TTorrex, and .Mr. A. H. Self. I'lie mission first visited the United States, leaving Britain on April 20. It was announced on June 9 that the British Government had decided to order 200 general reconnaissance aircraft from the Lockheed Aircraft Company, of Burbank, California, and 200 advanced training machines from the North American Aviation Company, of Inglewood, California. These machines were to he ready for delivery within a year. The cost was estimated at £5,400.000.

Representatives of ]] aircraft manufacturers in Canada visited the Deputy Minister of National Defence, Lieut-enant-Colonel Lafleche, on April 24 and offered their entire facilities to the Dominion and Great Britain. Thev said that Canadian factories were not working at anywhere near production capacity and would be able to supply equipment in large quantities. The Air Mission went to Canada on completion of its visit to the United States.