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Aviation History
1922
1922 - 0468.PDF
AUGUST 17, 1922 THE DE HAVILLAND 37 Some radiator details. A and B, details of the shutter, which supports the radiator. C, the trunnion mounting most instances be clear from the accompanying sketches. that we would refer readers desiring further information than The majority of the features illustrated were referred to in that which can be gained from an inspection of the accom- the description published last week (pp. 452-455), and to panying drawings. H H M H IN PARLIAMENT Imperial Air Defence Decisions VISCOUNT CURZON on Aug. 3 asked the Prime Minister whether the Govern ment have yet been able to consider the question of the control and provision for the air arm of the Royal Navy; whether the Government are satisfied that adequate provision is being made to meet the Admiralty requirements for fighting, reconnaissance, and spotting 'planes; and whether better provision in these respects and actual economies can be made if a reorganisation of the branch of the Royal Air Force operating with the Royal Navy is carried out and the Royal Navy made responsible for and be given control of its air arm ? Sir Harry Brittain asked whether the Imperial Defence Committee has reached any decision which will enable production orders to be given forthwith to the recognised British aircraft and aero-engine firms, so that they may find it possible to keep their works going and their experienced staffs together until the House reassembles in November ? Capt. W. Benn asked whether the Imperial Defence Committee has decided that the Navy will be permitted to supply and control aircraft of its own ? The Prime Minister : The Government, as the result of an enquiry by the Committee of Imperial Defence, have decided to adopt a scheme submitted by the Air Ministry providing a force of 500 machines for home defence at an increased cost of £2,000,000 per annum. £900,000 out of the total of £2,000,000 will be found by economies in the Estimates of the Air Ministry. The enquiries of the Cabinet Committee on Economy in the Fighting Services have advanced sufficiently far to enable me to state that the addition to the Air Estimates will not prevent a reduction in the total estimates of the three fighting services for the year 1923-24. Considerable orders in execution of this programme will be placed with private firms in the current calendar year. The foregoing decisions will not prejudice a further expansion of the Royal Air Force if later on this is found necessary to our national securitv. This question will be considered in the light of the financial situation next year and of the air policy adopted by other Powers. The enquiry into the system of naval and air co-operation, and as to the best method of securing that the Air Force should render to the Navy the aid it may require, has not yet been completed, Lieut.-Col. Fremantle : Will the right hon. gentleman reply to Sir Harry Brittain's question, and as regards the subsidiary services ?" The Prime Minister: That is a matter regarding which the enquiry is still proceeding. Lieut.-Col. Fremantle : Will the reports be published ? Col. Wedgwood : Is the enormous increase in the expenditure on the Air Force due to the enormous development of the Air Service in France ? The Prime Minister : Well, we have to take all the circumstances into account. Sir W. Joynson-Hicks : Is the answer of the right hon. gentleman in lieu of the proposed statement that we understood the Prime Minister would make tomorrow : will he make no further statement ? The Prime Minister : No. Sir W. Joynson-Hicks : Then the matter cannot be debated ? The Prime "Minister: That is a matter for Mr. Speaker, and not for me, but I should have thought it could have been discussed on the Adjournment Motion. Gratuity MR. RAPER asked the Secretary of State for Air why it has been decided to treat service as a technical officer of the Air Board as service in civilian employment for the computation of gratuitv in the case of officers of the Royal Naval Air Service and of the Royal"Naval Volunteer Reserve who were ordered to such service, not only without notice that their status as naval officers was in'any way affected, but, in some cases, with a definite assurance from the Admiralty that that status was maintained ? Capt. Guest : The decision to exclude the service in question from the computation of gratuity was in accordance with the AdmiraltvDrder which governed these officers* gratuities, the principle being that service on other than naval rates of pay was not gratuity-bearing. Flying Boats VISCOUNT CURZON asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether the flying warship now under construction on Southampton Water is being constructed according to Admiralty requirements and specifications ; and, if not, are the Admiralty in complete touch with all details as to its construction and fi ttings ? Capt. Guest : I have been asked to repiy. By the term flying warship, I assume that my noble and gallant friend has in mind the flying boat referred to in his question of July 27, in answer to which I informed him that it was only a flying boat bull that was under construction. The construction of this hull is simply one stage in the gradual development of the policy which has been frequently thought out and discussed with the- Admiralty of producing flying boats which can carry out a prolonged cruise. It is the duty of the Air Ministry to arrange for the construction of such experimental boats as are necessary for this development, and it is for this purpose that the hull referred to has been produced. There is no lack of co-operation w'ith the Admiralty in the matter. Naval Wing (Officers) VISCOUNT CURZO.N asked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Admiralty whether, when the Admiralty asked for volunteers to be seconded to the Royal Air Force, they were to be paid the pay of the Royal Air Force, to be allowed to wear their naval uniform, and to hold the same relative rank ; if not, on what grounds ; whether any naval officers now are attached, lent, or seconded to the Royal Air Force ; whether they are paid at Royal Air Force rates of pay, hold their relative rank, and wear their uniform ; and whether they volunteered for service with the Royal Air Force ? Mr. Amery : I assume that my noble and gallant friend refers to the scheme of attachment to the Royal Air Force promulgated in Admiralty Fleet Order 2011 (a) of 1920, and not to the short courses of training as observers which are now in operation. Under the former scheme, officers were graded as flying officers on joining, but if they held rank in the Royal Navy higher than sub-lieutenant, they were granted honorary rank in the Royal Air Force equivalent to their naval rank, During their service in the Royal Air Force, however, they carry the rank, pay, and authority of their substantive Air Force grading for all Air Force purposes. Tbey are eligible for substantive promotion to flight-lieutenant, by selection in vacancies, after qualifying as pilots. The uniform worn is, in the case of Service uniform, that of their substantive Royal Air Force rank, or of the honorary rank if held, and, in the case of full dress and mess-dress, naval uniform. I may add that these conditions were those considered necessary by the Air Ministry, who attached cons'derabie importance to the officers wearing the Service dress of the Royal Air Force, even if they wore the mess-dress and full dress of their parent Service. Seven officers, who volunteered for service with the Royal Air Force under this scheme, were attached in September, 1920, for a period of three years. As 1 explained in my reply of July 25 to the hon. and gallant member for Maidstone (Commander Bellairs), proposals were discussed for attaching a further number of officers in 1921, but the scheme fell through on account of the revised conditions, which the Admiralty thought were necessary to make any voluntary scheme a success, not being acceptable to the Air Ministry. No other officers are now attached, lent, or seconded, as, although officers undergoing courses as observers carry out the greater part of their training with the Royal Air Force, they remain under naval renditions throughout. Air Defence MR. L'ESTRANGE MALONE, on August 3, asked the Prime Minister if he can make a statement in regard to the decision of the Cabinet on the position of the Royal Air Force and the question of granting further support for civil aviation ; and whether His Majesty's Government still intend to proceed with the construction of the two new battleships, seeing that th's money can more profitably be expended, partly on air development and partly on social services ? Mr. Chamberlain (Leader of the House) : I would refer the hon. member to the statement made by my right hon. friend on this subject yesterday. Mr. Malone : In regard to' the second part of the question concerning the two new battleships, the right hon. gentleman has not dealt with that ? Mr. Chamberlain : It is proposed to proceed with the two new battleships.
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