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Aviation History
1943
1943 - 1511.PDF
JUNE IOTH, 1943 FLIGHT 609 Not that Grp. Capt. Helmores speech was particularly favourable towards the Government, for he recalled the short-sighted and unimaginative attitude towards the Schneider Trophy races in 1929 and 1931, which had re- sulted in the 1931 event being turned into what he called '' a sort of charity flag day,'' and pointed out ,that but for the beneficence of Lady Houston that race would not have been flown. Yet it was no exaggeration to say that our technical supremacy in the Battle of Britain was founded on our victory in the Schneider race of 1931. '' My belief in the future of the air lies entirely in speed —and speed per se," he said. "The country that sticks to speed in the air gets predominence in the air. The aircraft without greater speed is only a little more dan- gerous and less decorous than a horse and cart." In approaching our Empire and our Allies about the future of aviation we should include aviation in general LIBERATOR C-87. American 4-engined transport versionof B-24 bomber. Now on regular Atlantic v/ar ferry service. Span 11 oft. Useful load about 5 tons. Cruising speed about245 m.p.h. and range 3,000 miles. both for peace and war, and so avoid the mistake we made after the last war when we formed the League of Nations and gave it no striking power to implement its decisions. For this reason we must create jointly with our civil aviation control an air police force, capable of enforcing any decision made against aggressors, and thus ensure that wars will cease. We had already had the experience of the Germans making aircraft for war under the guise of civil aircraft, and if we did not control such matters in future we might yet begin the sowing of seeds for future wars. He therefore urged the Government, in their dis- cussions with our Dominions and Allies, to bear in mind that the air, both for war and for peace, was indivisible, and that any discussions should be based on the funda- mental principle that we must never have another war. Grp. Capt. Helmore later referred to our "thousands of men and women whom we have turned into the finest technicians in the world," and to our pilots and aircrews who " will be pretty useful at making landings on the well-lighted flare paths of peacetime airports after their experience of lighting up the dark paths of Germany. We should not have to train many pilots for civil aviation, and we owed it to this great people and this great industry to see that their chosen element, the air, was open to them as a new world to conquer—' this element which they have made their own during the war.' " Sir Robert Rankin (Kirkdale, Liverpool) raised a fresh point when he referred to the recent announcement made in Washington that a series of British and American con- ferences on post-war air transport were to be held ia June or July, and he wanted to know if it had been stated who would be the British representatives. The Civil Aeronau- BOEING 314 : American Clipper 4-engined flying boat on transatlantic service. Accommodation, 68 day passengers or 36 sleeping. Span 152ft. Cruising speed 188 m.p.h. at 11,OOOft. Cruising range with maximum load, 4,900 miles. DE HAVILLAND FLAMINGO : British twin-engined trans-port. Accommodation 12 to 20 passengers, according to operational needs. Span 70ft. Cruising speed 200 m.p.h.at 10,000ft. Normal range 1,210 miles. tics Board in America had opened a poll asking aircraft manufacturers and airlines for their views on American air policies, and he would like to know if there was any possibility of a similar poll being taken in this country and, if so, who would conduct it. But neither Mr. Attlee' nor Sir Archibald Sinclair saw fit to include answers to these questions in their subsequent speeches. Touching the matter of an immediate Empire Council, Mrs. Tate (Frome) said: "I cannot help asking myself whether the Empire will be willing to confer in this country with those who are to-day in charge of British Overseas Airways Corporation," and added that she did not wish to make any personal attack. When Mr. Attlee and Sir Archibald Sinclair eventually spoke on behalf of the Government, after a number of other members had added their quota in varying measure to the sum total of the debate (including Mr. Montague, the hoii. member for West Islington, who said his constituents were not likely to become air-minded because the majority of them in ordinary times had to be wage-minded, rent- minded and even dole-minded, and therefore were not really interested in how quickly a few wealthy people could be flown from Britain to New York)—after all this and much more had been said, the Government speakers dwelt mostly on the subject of Empire policy, during which Mr. Attlee took exception to the suggestion that a confer- ence with Dominion representatives should be summoned in London. It was not for us, he said, to summon and for others to obey, and a conference could only be arranged if it was the will of the Commonwealth. The Government had, he repeated, been in consultation with the Govern-, ments of the Dominions, seeking with them a solution to the problem which would best serve their common interests and the interests of the whole world. No Details Yet "We have asked the Dominions," said Mr. Attlee, "which is the best way, in their view, of making that personal contact which you must have, but I am not pre- pared to give any details because I have not received any yet. I do not think it is a useful thing to examine exactly what the methods would be, because I have not got the views of the Dominions yet on that point. There are various views." Mr. Attlee finally ended with the following generality: '' I cannot close without again emphasising that our policy is to develop civil aviation as a service to mankind. I believe it is vitally necessary for the economic and political security of the world that air transport shall be developed on the basis of international co-operation. There must be no return to the pre-war system of unbridled competition leading to political rivalry between the nations. Finally, never again must we have a system under which unscru- pulous Powers can use the development of civil aviation as a cloak for military planning." Sir Archibald Sinclair, in his turn, gave the House about the same amount of information on the Government's in- tentions, and spoke in favour of civil aviation remaining with the Air Ministry, which he described as "the reposi- tory of flying zeal and experience."
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