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Aviation History
1934
1934 - 0724.PDF
726 FLIGHT. JULY 19, 1934. More Squadrons - MR. BALDWIN, acting Prime Minister, is tomake a statement before the Parliamentaryrecess on the Cabinet's plans for increasing ourair strength. The daily Press has already decided that this statement will mean an addition of fifty squadrons to our Air Force, and an order for 600 aeroplanes. Speculations are also rife as to the number of new aerodromes which will be required and where they will be located. It is all very interesting, and it is quite probable that some of the guesses will be more or less correct. Some prognostications are quite amus- ing, such as the prophecy that the new defence aero- dromes will be situated near the coast. Presumably someone remembers that when it was first decided to have interceptor squadrons the three fighter squadrons on the coast aerodromes of Hawkinge and Tangmerp were chosen to fill the new role. It is probably true that in the beginning the war experts at the Air Ministry believed that if you placed your interceptors at the coast they would catch the raiders before the latter had pene- trated inland. If so, they soon had to change their opinion. The very next Air Exercises proved that the squadrons of "Harts " could go over the heads of the coast aerodromes and be far inland before the '' Furies '' could take off. Interceptors, as well as other fighters, must be stationed some distance inland if they are to have any chance of catching the raiders. Apart from the accuracy or otherwise cf the details, the Government has left no doubt in the minds of the people that a considerable increase in the strength of the Royal Air Force has been decided upon, and it is also very clear that the public feels very strongly on the subject, and will be extremely indignant if the increase which it is expected will be announced is not a very substantial one. There is no panic, but people of all descriptions, not merely the ultra-airminded ones, are talking daily of the great need to increase our air defences. There has been nothing quite like this since the "We want eight and we won't wait" agitation some years before the war when the Navy had been neglected. While all may regret the necessity for spending more money on armaments at a time when prosperity is returning but cannot yet be said to have returned, it is nevertheless pleasing to think of the amount of employ- ment which will be provided in preparing new aero- dromes and buildings, barracks, etc. Not the least grati- f3'ing aspect of the matter is the certainty of very accept- able orders for our aircraft industry, which has been going through a lean time of late years. It has been pathetic to hear of brilliant drawing office staffs being reduced and skilled craftsmen dismissed. The aircraft industry is necessary to the country both in peace and in war, and in the future our national prosperity will doubtless depend on the healthy state of that industry to a far greater extent than it does now. The paucity of orders in recent years has prevented the industry from growing as we should like to see it grow, and there are all too few aircraft firms in the country for real safety. In particular, there are too few individual manufacturers of aero engines. In the great war we had to rely at first on the supplies of French engines, and we do not wish to find ourselves in a similar pre- dicament again. We should very much like to see that side of the industry established on a broader basis. HEI TGOLAND : An aerial view of the interesting North Sea island of Heligoland—once a part of the British Empire !
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