GREAT EFFICIENCY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23601, 9 March 1940, Page 11

GREAT EFFICIENCY

MEN AND MACHINES DOUBLE FIGHTING STRENGTH PROGRESS IN 12 MONTHS By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright British Wireless LONDON, March 7 "For obvious reasons, details of personnel have not appeared in the estimate," said Sir Kingsley Wood, Minister of Air, in the House today, "but I can safely give a figure which provides a general indication of our progress. When I introduced the Air Estimates in 1939, I told the House that as a result of recruiting efforts the total strength of the Royal Air Force was approaching 100,000. To-day the strength of one command alone has nearly reached that figure." All officers were now taken from the ranks, said the Minister, and every recruit had a chance of a commission.

Empire Training Scheme Dealing with the question of training, the Minister said: "When in full operation, schools in Canada, Australia and New Zealand, under the Empire training scheme, will produce no fewer than 20.000 pilots and 30,000 air crews every year, in addition the Government of South Atrica has most helpfully offered to train pilots for the Royal Air Force, and there are also to be schools in Rhodesia and Kenya. "I am also glad to tell the House that with the ready agreement of the French authorities we are establishing a number of flying training schools on French territory."

Enormous Programme The- Minister rime-wed production and said tftafc although the 1918 peak figure of labour employed was passed a very few weeks after the outbreak of war, the enormous programme required an even greater effort. New factories and existing factories had be«n extended, while with every month the new plan was coming into production. The objective ot' air mastery should be obtained "with something in hand." Dealing with achievements since the presentation of the last Air Estimates, Sir Kingsley Wood said that not only had numerical production been doubled, but the effective increase in output had been even greater. Each new type of aeroplane involved an increase in the number of man-hours of construction. These increases were justified by the ad\antages in operational efficiency. Performance Improved

"In speed, bomb load and armament, and in the aggregate of all thpse factors," the Minister added, "I would sooner have 100 Wellingtons or 100 Spitfires than a much larger number of their German counterparts." Giving instances of improvements in existing types of service machines, he stated that not only had armaments been continuously improved, but also performance. The long-nosed Blenheim had far better navigational facilities, and 50 per cent increase in range over the earlier models, while the top speed of the Spitfire had been increased 10 per cent. "It can safely be said," Sir Kingsley stated, "that the fighting strength of the Boval Air Force has been increased at least 100 per cent during the last 12 months. In addition, we have been able to give substantial help to our friends abroad."

HEINKEL SHOT DOWN AIR FORCE FIGHTERS NEW ZEALANDER ENGAGED British Wireless LONDON, March 7 The Air Ministry announces that Royal Air Force Spitfire fighters shot down a Heinkel aircraft over the north-east coast of Scotland, east of Aberdeen, early this afternoon. The Spitfire pilots, one of whom was a New Zealander, were on patrol when they first sighted the Heiukel. They attacked in turn at a great height as their enemy dived, closing in for each burst of machine-gun fire. The Heinkel was put out of action and landed on the water, The Spitfire pilots circled about -watching for five minutes until the Heinkel sank.

AERIAL COMBATS KING VIEWS FILM AUTOMATIC PHOTOGRAPHY (Received March 8, 5.5G p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 7 Films taken from Royal Air Force fighters in combat with the enemy are now being used for the instruction of British pilots in fighting tactics. When the King visited the fighter command station in Scotland recently he saw one of these films recording the interception and shooting down of a German raider. It was taken from an attacking British aircraft during a fight. Lined up with the fighter pilot's eight guns there is a cinematograph camera. This operates automatically when the trigger button sets the eight guns in action. It is focussed on the target and makes an exact record of the bullets' path. When the pilot takes his finger off the trigger the guns cease firing and the camera stops taking pictures. It resumes its work with each burst of fire. Seated comfortably in a darkened room, the fighter pilot will relivo the battle and, perhaps, note a mistake which enables an enemy to get away. In half a minute the show is over, then the film is run through again and again. Sometimes it is stopped at a crucial point to enable the pilot to study in detail exactly what happened.

HELP FOR THE NAVY HONGKONG'S PROPOSAL (Received March 8, 5.5 p.m.) British Wireless LONDON, March 7 Newspapers at Hongkong report an announcement in the Legislative Council that the colony's contribution to the Empire war effort would include locallvbuilt warships for preseniation t<> the British Navy. Tin* rn»t will be borne by additional taxation.