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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 1618.PDF
AUGUST I6TH, 1945 FLIGHT 177 But this was not all; German local authorities,corporations, etc., not only spent vast sums on ground facilities but developed the habit of sub-sidising air transport, without such figures being too apparent in published statistics. In fact, ithas been stated in a German study (Schenk H. Finanzierung u. Organisation d. Luftverkehrs,1930) that sometimes these sums approximately equalled the subsidies of the central government! Prior to the establishment of an Air Ministry bythe Nazis, the Reich Transport Ministry was re- sponsible officially for civil aviation while un-officially being also the channel through which the High Command secretly operated their pro-gramme to rebuild Germany's air power. The veiled language of German expenditurereports is sometimes outright naive: in ,1924, for instance, in addition to all specified items, it isstated that about 25 million RM. were spent for "unspecified technical purposes" by the ReichTransport Ministry. In addition to this mysteri- ous expenditure, other sums, officially earmarked, for gliding and " air sport support," were spent on >• building-up military air" cadres. While in the U.K.grants to light aircraft clubs in the years 1928-9 and 1930-31 amounted to a total of ^52,000, Ger-many was spending more in official expenditure alone. Nor was industry neglected. The tormented,economically struggling Germany spent 13 million RM. between 1929 and 1931 in direct support otthe aircraft industry via the famous Reich Ministry for Transport. Not that this industry was par-ticularly badly off. Riding on the lethargic atti- tude of her former enemies and victors, exploitingpolitical windfalls and by '' peaceful penetration '' 79MILL? 42MILLT 1924-25 -26 -27 -28 -29 1930 -31 -32 -33 -34 THE RISING CURVE: German expenditure on aviation (inRm.). Officially admitted expenditure is shown, actual figures were considerably higher. into international air transport, Germany had in fact secureda dominant position for the products of her aircraft industry. Within seven years of her defeat, within two years of the timewhen she was officially allowed to indulge in aircraft produc- tion, German-built aircraft operated on a route network twicethe length of the French, four times the British, and more than the combined Anglo-French route mileage. Only German air-craft were used in seven countries, and by 1927 80 per cent, of the Italian, 80 per cent, of Finnish, 91 per cent, of Swedish,72 per cent, of Polish and 25 per cent, of Swiss routes were operated with German aircraft. Future Outlook So much for the past. Any post-war settlement of theGerman air problem must, of course, be considered in the light of its own peculiarities, for under modern conditions both theaircraft industry and air transport are latent bearers of a major share of a nation's war potential. For these reasons, Germany's air resources must be atom-ised, and any aviation activity which might continue on her territory must be reduced to a skeleton frcir.cwork devoid ofloopholes, and yet commensurate with the essential economic needs of Central Europe. For let no one believe that if theGermans are allowed even a marginal freedom to indulge in aviation pursuits, the eyes of the air police or other controllerswould be vigilant enough to prevent them from using such facilities for military preparations. BEGINNING OF THE HARVEST : A Junker K47 experimental Stuka built in 1928. Just how effective contiols are we have no more need tolearn. Even if the physical occupation of Germany were to continue for many years, any freedom of action leaving oppor-tunities for evasion would constitute a threat to international peace. It would be equally dangerous to rely upon the disillusionsof the German people with warlike endeavour after thcit experience in this war. The Germans have furnished ampleevidence of their remarkable faculty for recovering rapidly from war fatigue. Even if one were to assume that the massof the German people would be too passive, there is neverthe- less likely to be f> group of people or individuals bent uponthe revival of Germany's air power. And there is no reason to believe that they would not find eager followers in Germanyand, in time, ready friends and supporters elsewhere. In the following brief suggestions 1 shall attempt to bringinto a work synthesis the conflicting and seemingly irrecon- cilable demands of economic development and internationalsecurity. Without trying to simplify the issue, it would be necessary to evolve a system of measures, some being putelynegative—prohibitive—and others embodying elements ot con structive policy. Without the latter the formet would runthe risk of soon being outlived by developments of events and economic needs, while vague and elastic formulation of rulesin itself might open too many loopholes. The system evolved should first consider how to tenderGermany's aviation hors de combat and ensure that it remains so, while simultaneously establishing a • fixedframework setting the limits within which any aviation activity on German soil might go on.Under the first category of measures, enforcitig complete prohibition, should come the industry,training and private flying. Measures for Safety It is assumed in advance that all stocks otfinished and semi-finished aircraft, engines and accessories would be requisitioned by the UnitedNations. Such aircraft might go to help some European nations to tide over the initial periodof their revival when, because of large-scale damage and inadequacy of surlace communica-tions, there is likely to be an urgent need of ail transport. (1) Industry.—The manufacture of any aero-nautical equipment in Germany should be pro liibited Whatever may be left of the equipmentof this industry should be requisitioned by the United Nations for the rehabilitation of German-occupied countries, in part-payment for the indus- trial spoils of Europe, and for the wholesale re-
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