BRITAIN’S FIGHTING AIRCRAFT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20638, 29 January 1937, Page 9

BRITAIN’S FIGHTING AIRCRAFT

RAPID INCREASE IN SQUADRONS OUTLINE OF REARMING PROGRAMME United Press Association—By Electrio Telegraph—Copyright (Received January 28, 6.30 p.m.) LONDON, January 27. “Stop this rubbish that only a farmers’ policy can save the country, and stop the war,” shouted a man from the public gallery in the House of Commons at the opening debate on air defences. Sir Thomas Inskip (Minister for the Co-ordination of Defence) regretted the various speakers’ references to Germany, towards whom Britain had nothing but the friendliest and most peaceable intentions.. “Experience has shown,” added Sir Thomas, “how laborious must be the process of building up the air defences to capacity, after the long and leisurely period of production. Nevertheless we are a long way ahead of the schedule that could be achieved by the old method. There would have been no difficulty in forming squadrons if the Government had taken the easier path of ordering old instead of new types of machines. It is anticipated that 100 squadrons would be formed by the end of March. The rate of progress would be accentuated as the months passed. The position with regard to the shadow factories was that they would begin the production of air frames in the Austin factory in the autumn and the engines in January, 1938 and the erection of other factories, reaching the advanced stage. Provision had been made for the air defence of London, Including a balloon barrage. ’PLANES BOMBING CAPACITY GREATER THAN OTHER MACHINES United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, January 27. Tire first of the new type bombing aeroplane, just delivered from the Handley-Pagg Works to the Royal Air Force, under the expansion scheme, has a bomb capacity greater than any machine at present in service, and can be adapted in emergency to carry 30 fully armed troops. Others are being turned out under the mass production system.