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Aviation History
1936
1936 - 0625.PDF
27» FLIGHT. MARCH 12, 1936. As usual, we prefer to consider the net Estimates rather than the gross figures, as the former give a truer idea of our air strength than is given by the latter. Cer tainly the net Estimates include the Vote for Civil Aviation, and also for such services as research and meteorology from which both Service and civil flying benefit. The net Vote for Civil Aviation amounts to £760,000, and if we deduct that from the £39,000,000 we get somewhere near to an idea of the cost of our air defence. The gross Estimate includes the sum of £3,066,000 which the Admiralty pays for the Fleet Air Arm, and that arm is part of naval defence, not of air defence. When delicate international situations arise overseas, and it is found advisable to move both Air Force units and naval units to, in this case, the Mediter ranean and the lands on its shores, the two sorts of air strength work together. In that case, however, the R.A.F. units sent temporarily overseas are not engaged on their normal and proper work of the air defence of this country, and it is in that form of defence that British citizens are most vitally interested. The net Estimates also include the cost of the army co-operation squadrons, which do the work of the Army, and like wise cannot be reckoned as part of our air defence. It is therefore not at all a simple matter to arrive at the exact sum which we are paying for the air defence of the country. It is, however, desirable that the tax payer should realise how diverse are the activities which are accounted for in the Air Estimates, and should not be misled by figures of grand totals. There are some interesting details in the Memoran dum which accompanies the Estimates. The term "our Metropolitan air strength" is new, and presum ably means the force devoted to the defence of London. Again, one must not be misled by the term " the total strength of the Royal Air Force at Home," for that, as explained above, includes the army co-operation squadrons, which would accompany the Army if the latter went overseas. These five A.C. squadrons are to be " reorganised to provide seven squadrons." That is far from a clear form of expression; but it is hardly credible that the strength of the existing squadrons is to be reduced from twelve to some smaller number of first-line aircraft. Some other squadrons are to have their strength raised from twelve to eighteen machines, as it has been found that a flight of six is a convenient operational unit, and a squadron needs more than two flights. It is confirmed that the Cadre (Special Re serve) Squadrons are to be converted into Auxiliary Air Force units. This step will help the expansion pro gramme, by setting free some regular personnel, but the disappearance of the Cadre squadrons is to be re gretted on various grounds. It is also interesting to be told that the catapult units of the Fleet Air Arm may be reorganised. This statement affords food for speculation. **• *»£ si s p IBM ••SB W&M " ^^ . •R HF , mpipi A LEVIATHAN TAKES THE AIR: The L.Z. 129 passes over the Friedrichshafen works on its first test flight. The second part of Flight's illustrated description of the new airship appears in this issue.
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