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Aviation History
1932
1932 - 0092.PDF
FLIGHT, JANUARY 29, 1932 lire, but for all that some 50 per cent, lower than France's air estimate and 60 per cent, lower than England's. Italy's air strength is quoted as consisting at the present time of 30 fighter squadrons, 26 bombing squadrons, these in the independent air force. The army and navy are credited with 33 reconnaissance squadrons, to which is added 10 colonial squadrons, so that Italy's air strength is assessed at 99 squadrons. The Italian declaration to the League of Nations comprises a total of 1,507 aircraft, which is compared with 1,000 aircraft hitherto given in official Italian publications. Again, our contemporary thinks there has been some play with machines of first line, reserve, etc., so that any desired proportion of effective strength may be available for disarmament purposes. Italian aviation personnel declared in League of Nations documents total 22,193, of which 21,418 at home and 775 overseas. This figure is thought to be well below the actual, which was given in recent Italian official publications as in the neighbourhood of 29,000. Poland Of Poland's air arm our contemporary states that its flying strength is 700 aircraft, but that as no detailed declaration has been made it is not possible to say what percentage of these are first-line machines. Government publications of recent date have, however, indicated the first-line strength is 509 aircraft, so that the rest is prob ably school and training machines, spares, etc. According to the information supplied to the League of Nations, Poland's aviation personnel totals 7,919 all ranks, but our contemporary estimates that actually the total strength is nearer 11,000, the lower figure being based on an average strength at any given time, and the actual number being greater than this. Czechoslovakia Comment is made on the relatively heavy air arma ments of Czechoslovakia, which, in spite of the relatively small size of the country, amount to some six regiments, and the opinion is expressed that if a nation's air strength is assumed to be dictated somewhat by geographical con ditions and by the strength of its neighbours, Czecho slovakia's air force must be deemed unjustifiably large. On the same basis. Die Lujtwacht states, Germany should have an air fleet of between 4,000 and 5,000 aircraft! Statements from the press and official sources are quoted to show that the air arm in Czechoslovakia is based upon an offensive and not on a defensive policy. The Czechoslovak declarations to the League of Nations, our contemporary claims, far exceed any figures previously published. For example, the total aviation personnel is given in the League of Nations returns as 6,482, which is claimed to be some 2,200 more than ever before shown in official documents. It is pointed out, h?wever, that the recent establishment of 5th and 6th regiments, of approxi mately 1,000 each, would tend to make the official declara tion tally reasonably well with facts. Our contemporary cannot, however, find any valid excuse for the large increase in the number of aircraft. To the League of Nations Czechoslovakia has declared her air strength as 546 aircraft on the active list, and 141 school machines, or a total of 687 aircraft. In the air estimates of 1930, it is pointed out, the total of all types was given as 270, so that there has been an increase of more than 100 per cent. The view is expressed that the Czechoslovak aircraft industry would not have been able to produce this large number of machines in the time, nor, it is thought, would there be available personnel to man them. From all this our contemporary infers that Czechoslovakia, like France, is deliberately quoting too high figures, and that she is opposed to air disarmament. Belgium The Belgian Air Force is planned with the squadron as the unit, the fighter squadron consisting of 15 aircraft, the bombing squadron of 8 and the reconnaissance squadron of 12 aircraft. The total aviation personnel amounts to 2,840 and of military aircraft Belgium is stated to have 195, while school machines and training aircraft total 113. Holland Holland's air arm is divided into a home force and an overseas force. In the documents supplied to the League of Nations the home force is given as a personnel of 809 with a total of 205 aircraft, while overseas there are 116 air craft and a personnel of 688. Switzerland The Swiss air strength is given in League of Nations declarations as 125 military aircraft and a permanent per sonnel of 258. It is pointed out that, organised on the militia system the Swiss air arm comprises three aviation divisions, with 18 flight companies and 150 aircraft, of which 96 are reconnaissance types and 54 fighters. The present programme contemplates an increase to four divi sions (reconnaissance) with 24 flight companies and 192 aircraft, plus one division (single-seater lighters) with six flight companies and 54 aircraft. When this programme is completed the total strength would be five divisions with 30 companies and 246 aircraft. In 1930 the personnel included 196 officers, 499 non-commissioned officers and 2,241 men. Spain The Spanish air arm is at the moment in course of com plete transformation. According to League of Nations figures the present strength is a personnel of 3,469 and a home fleet of 426 service aircraft, of which 392 belong to the army and 33 to the navy. Overseas Spain maitnains 108 aircraft in service. The total number of aircraft is 533 Yugoslavia League of Nations figures for the total personnel of army and navy air force amount to 10,810. It is pointed out that in 1930 the personnel was given officially as com prising 474 officers, 536 non-commissioned officers and 4,000 men. Die Luftwacht expresses the opinion that this increase, of more than 100 per cent., is either due to Yugoslavian returns covering the whole of a lengthy pro gramme not yet terminated, or is a deliberate over statement with future reductions in view. Similarly in aviation material. A year ago this was given as a total of 320 aircraft, whereas the League of Nations figures show 568 first-line aircraft in the army and 59 service aircraft in the navy. It is pointed out that such an increase in the number of aircraft would have cost enormous sums of money, and that no such sums are to be found in the Yugoslav air estimates. Roumania According to our contemporary, Roumania followed the example of so many other nations and grossly exaggerated in her returns to the League of Nations the number of personnel and aircraft. The personnel is given as 11,836 and the aircraft as 773, whereas in January, 1931, the Roumanian Press published figures which showed the number of personnel to be 3,766 and the number of aircraft 284. Soviet Russia Die Luftwacht estimates that the present strength of Russia's air arm is approximately 1,800 aircraft. The air defence programme calls for some 2,000 by the end of 1932, and our contemporary thinks that this figure will be reached. No statistics are available concerning personnel. Greece But scant information is available concerning the Greek air arm. Our contemporary estimates that the present strength is approximately 100 aircraft and a personnel of 2,000. United States of America Of the air forces of the United States our contemporary has a great deal to say. It points out that the present year sees the completion of the " five years' plan," accord ing to which America is to have 1,800 aircraft for her army and 1,000 aircraft for her navy. According to Die Luftwachl the 1,800 aircraft of the army will be composed of the following types: 443 single- seater fighters ; 143 bombers ; 105 " battleplanes " (Schlachtflugzeuge) ; 386 observation planes ; 39 amphibian observation planes ; 194 school machines for ab initio training ; 276 school machines for advanced training ; 62 transport machines ; and 152 observation planes of the national guard. In view of the difficulties in training, our contemporary expresses some doubt as to whether the army air personnel of 2,200 officers and 15,000 men foreseen for 1931-32 can be attained. Our contemporary has failed to obtain much informa tion about the 1,000 aircraft which the United States Navy aimed at possessing by the end of the five years' plan It thinks that possibly it is the intention to equip a con siderable number of battleships and cruisers with catapults
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