FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1918
1918 - 0059.PDF
Flight, January 17, 1918. B1VG1NE&R? First Aero Weekly in the World. Founder and Editor: STANLEY SPOONER. A Journal devoted to the Interests, Practice, and Progress of Aerial Locomotion and Transport. OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE ROYAL AERO CLUB OF THE UNITED KINGDOM. No. 473. (No. 3, Vol. X.) JANUARY 17, 1918. fWeekly, Price 3d.L Post Free, 4d. and The Aircraft Engineer. Editorial Office: 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C. a. Telegrams : Truditur, Westcent, London. Telephone: Gerrard 1828. Annual Subscription Rates, Post Free. United Kingdom ... i$s. id. Abroad 20s. od. CONTENTS. Editorial Comment: » PAGE Haig Wants More Machines .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 55 Flax for Aeroplanes .. .. ., .. .. .. .. .. 56 The Fountain of Honour .. .. .. .. . - .. .. 56 Aeroplanes from Ireland .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 58 The State as Profiteer 59 Honours .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 60 Mentioned in Despatches .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. 63 The Roll of Honour .. .. .. .. .. .. 64 Sir Douglas Haig's Despatch ,. .. .. .. .. .. .. 65 The Royal Aero Club. Official Notices 66 Answers to Correspondents 66 From Other Lands. The Ago Flying Boat 7 The 260 h.p. Mercedes Aero Engine .. .. .. .. .. .. 70 Airisros .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ,. .. 73 International Aircraft Standards 77 Personals .. .. .. .. .. .. .. .. ,. .. yg The British Air Services 9 Aircraft Work at the Front 81 In Parliament 8a Sid.-Winds 3 NOTICE OF REMOVAL. The Offices—Editorial and Advertisement—of " FLIGHT and The Aircraft Engineer " are now at 36, GREAT QUEEN STREET, KINGSWAY, W.C. 2. Telephone No.: Gerrard 1828. Teleg. Address : •• Truditur, Westcent, London.' " Newspapers are an essential part of our war organisation."— (Sir Auckland Geddes, Minister of National Service.) IT the conclusion of his despatch dealing with the battles of 1917 in the West, Sir Douglas Haig pays a splendid tribute to the work of the R.F.C. which, he says, in the discharge of duties, con- stantly increasing in number and importance, throughout the whole of the past year has shown the same magnificent offensive spirit which characterised its work during Haig ^he Somme battle, combined with Wants More unsurpassed technical knowledge and Machines, practical skill. He then adds :— The enemy, however, shows no sign of relaxing his endeavours in this department of war. While acknow-lt; dging, therefore, most fully the great effort that has been made to meet the ever-increasing demands of this most important Service, I feel it my duty to point out once more that the position which has been won by the skill, courage, and devotion of our pilots can only be maintained fcby a liberal supply of the most efficient machines." The need for more and yet more efficient machines ', is one that we have never ceased to impress upon those responsible for production, operatives as well as others, but this further direct appeal from the . commander-in-chief of the armies in the field is one that goes more directly to the understanding than any number of reasoned arguments set forth by those ' outside the army, however well-informed and well- intentioned they may be. There is undoubtedly a tendency, which it must be admitted is understand- able, to think that so long as the army does not cry out for more material, and make its cry heard among the mass of the public, all is well with everything. We are convinced that a great many people have believed that much of the outcry made by those in a position to gauge the need for more aircraft either did not know what they were talking about, or had some sort of axe to grind. " If," they argued, " Haig wanted more machines he would say so." Well, he has said so—not for the first time. The fact is that it is not more aeroplanes that are wanted— that does not go deep enough—for what is really required is a maximum effort. Every possible machine that can be turned out by ourselves and our Allies is wanted if we are, as we hope, to beat the Hun into a better frame of mind this year. We must organise our industries, speed up production by every legitimate means, and thus ensure that who- ever may command our armies in the closing phases ' of the war shall not have to write as Sir Douglas " Haig has felt himself compelled to do in his last • despatch. True, his language is restrained and he contents himself by pointing out that " the position which has been won by the skill, courage and devotion of our pilots can only be maintained by a liberal _ supply of the most efficient machines." As a soldier writing in the knowledge that his despatch would be made public property he could not well have gone farther, but it is easy enough ip read between the lines. We are supreme in the air, not on account of an overwhelming number of machines, but because of "the skill, courage and devotion of our pilots."- And, if the commander-in-chief had been supplied with all the machines he required and was thus assured that future demands would be met, he would not
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
