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Aviation History
1915
1915 - 0542.PDF
gyssg JULY 1915. aeroplanes i* not the material difficulty of execution ; it is not to be found in the difficulty of any single part of the problem. The aero plane* can be obtained and the pilot's can be trained. The question of supplying liombs is already solved, to that the only difficulty that now remain* is the psychological difficulty—that is to say, the diffi culty of convincing the authorities that here is a question the proper handling of which indicates the true line of safety and ultimately the lint-of victory—so to seize their minds with that faith or con viction that they will throw themselves with the greatest energy into this problem of building aeroplanes, so that once and for all wc may atiain the conviction, even before we actually realise it, that this country and its Allies mean to obtain complete dominance of the air. With regard to the uses which a strong striking force of this kind can be put, I will indicate one, namely, in regard to that most difficult of all questions—the proper means of defence against submarines. I think there are two ways in which aeroplanes can operate so as to greatly limit the danger of submarine attacks. I believe—but I will not give details—that in the development of our aeroplane service lies the possibility of solving that problem, and providing ui with an efficacious defence against submarine attacks. Before leaving this particular question I would like to refer to one point made by the hon. and learned Member for Brentford in regard to what he said abou* a separate Department for aeroplanes, and particularly a Ministry of Aeroplanes. I am inclined to think that this has almost become a necessity, because there is a very great difference in the way in which any particular subject is tackled ; if, on the other hand, it is left to a sub-department of a great office, it is not so efficiently dealt with as if it be left to an entirely new department filled with new energy, and possessing great officer* of State. They geneially have the iaculty of magni fying the importance of their own office. That would be a distinct advantage, became once this work is undertaken it ought to be pressed forward with the greatest energy and vigour, so that in the shortest possible space of time this country and its Allies would in this respect be in a position of enormous advantage. 1 would like to emphasise the fact that this suggestion points out not only a way to victory, but almost the only way which is now open to us. The great operations on the Western Front have up to the present resulted practically in stalemate, neither party having made any decided advance. Both are locked together, but an enormous and speedy development of our aeroplane service might turn the scale of that balance and secure victory for this countiy. I would conclude by drawing this moral, and saying, in the case of aeroplanes especially, the way has been indicated. The principal difficulty is not one of material but is a psychological difficulty, and I hope that there will l>e a great pressure of public opinion, if nothing ebe, brought to bear upon the War Office, so that they will be led—I will not say compelled—into this way of taking a leaf from the Germans themselves ; and, once having seen that clear way to victory, may they strike into it with the utmost resolution, vigour, and energy, so that within a comparatively short time the Under-Secretary ot State for War will be able to announce to this House that the question of the predominance of the air has been solved and that no German aeroplane dare show its nose within a certain aiea which is under the control of the aeroplanes of the Allies, and that this great arm is not only performing functions of scouting and reconnoitring work of all kind, but that it has also become one of the most powerful and striking arms of the forces of the Allies. Mr. Tennant: The hon. gentleman who has just sat down suggested that the real difficulty in connection with the supply of aeroplanes for the Government and the Army was a psychological difficulty. I should like to disabuse him of that idea at once. It is wholly unnecessary to bring pressure to bear upon the War t Hiice in order to convince us of the importance of the Air Service. 1 would like to refer to the remarks which were made by the Prime Minister not many minutes ago, assuring the House that we are not only duly impressed to-day or yesterday, but that we have ® ® Larger Types of Military Aeroplanes. REPLYING to questions by Mr. Lynch in the House of Commons on Monday, Mr. Tennant, the Under-Secretary for War, said he understood that German aeroplanes had been seen which appeared to be propelled by more than one engine, but that there was no evidence of German aeroplanes carrying guns larger than machine-guns. There was no detailed information regarding the aerial losses of our Allies. Mr. Lynch asked whether the production of aeroplanes with more than one engine or carrying a gun larger than a machine-gun was advocated by General Henderson, Director-General of Military Aeronautics, and by other persons closely connected with aviation in this country, some months before the war ; whether such aero planes were in the possession of the Royal Flying Corps on active service before the appearance of the multiple engine German been impressed from tbe outset of this war, with the enormous importance aircraft play, and must play, in all operations of war. Those matters have been considered, as 1 say, by the best brains in the Army, by the be-t mechanical brains that we could obtain, for many months past. The lesponsible authorities have been considering all these questions as to the increase as rapidly as possible of the Air Service. I am sure the hon. Member would not expect me to make an announcement as to what steps have been taken—it would not be proper that I should do so—but a policy has been decided upon, and that policy is being carried out as rapidly as it possibly can be. I was asked more than a month ago in this House to state some of the steps which were being taken in order to carry out that policy. I then indicated that one of the most important of them— I am sure the hon. Member will agree with me that it is one of the most important—was the increase of the number of training schools for pilots. Of course, we cannot have an indefinite increase in the number of those schools without a very large increase in the machines with which to teach the pilots. The hon. Member for Brentford (Mr. Joynson-Hicks), in the course of his observations, stated that while it was true we had increased our training schools from one to eleven we had only taken over a number of the civil flying schools. It is not at all in accordance with the fact to say that is all we have done. While it is true that we have taken over two such civil Fchools for flying, we have increased our original one to eleven. The hon. Member for Brent ford again referred to the time which it took to replenish the depredations caused by accidents or by gun-fire upon our aircraft. That is really only the same difficulty which is found in replenishing diminished ranks in the Army at a considerable distance from your base or from your supplies. Obviously, when you lose a certain number of machines, it must take a little time in order to make them good, but I think when the facts become known it will be seen that an extraordinary short time has been taken to make good those losses. With regard to the losses, I would say that the wastage, of course, has been very large, as I dare say the House knows. Again, I cannot go into figures, but they have been all made good, and an enormous number more have been supplied. It is, of course, a fact that you cannot constantly fly in the air without such accidents happening, not only accidents which occur through something which you cannot foresee, but also through gun-fire and shell-fire from the enemy. The only other point which strikes me, and on which I think it is desirable that some statement should go out from the War Office, is the question of the height at which aviators fly. I think the hon. Member stated that one officer was put into a machine which could not climb, and was probably exposed to great risk, and that we were giving orders which were calculated to be very dangerous to our flying officers. I wish the hon. gentleman and the House to realise that there is a definite minimum height below which officers are not allowed to fly across the German lines, and any officer or man who crosses the German lines at a height below that minimum is contravening instructions. I am bound to say I do not believe that it is ever done, and if it has been done it is possibly an isolated instance of someone who has done something which he ought nor to have done. I do not know whether the hon. gentleman com plained of the fact that there were not sufficient non-commi.-sioned officers and men in training, but that is one criticism which has been made. I would say that we are training many more non-commis sioned officers and men now. The reason for the temporary aban donment, not the complete abandonment, but the diminution in the number being trained at one time, was that it was found that non commissioned officers and men were very extravagant in aeroplanes, and we had not a sufficient number of aeroplanes to allow them to make experiments. There was a considerable diminution in the number of non commissioned officers and men being trained, but now we are expanding the number very much, and as we have many more non-commissioned officers and men to select from, we are able to select the best, and we are training a considerable number more. ® ® aeroplane recently mentioned by the official eye-witness ; and if not, why not ? Mr. Tennant: The answer to the first part of the question is in the affirmative and to the second part in the negative. The provision of other types of aeroplane was more urgent, and it is very doubtful whether the two-engined German aeroplanes which have been seen are of the type advocated by Sir David Henderson. I am informed that they are not necessarily more efficient than single- engined machines. Answering a further question by Mr. Lynch, Mr. Tennant said the preliminary questions of design had been considered before the war. It was undesirable to state whether the Royal Aircraft Factory took any steps before the war to provide the multiple-engine aero plane advocated by General Henderson. The types of aeroplanes to be constructed for war were not selected by the Royal Aircraft Factory but by the Director of Military Aeronautics. 542
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