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Aviation History
1946
1946 - 0528.PDF
27° FLIGHT MARCH 14TH, 1946 American Newsletter Overseas Sales : Loan Effects : Airfield Comparisons—Idlewild v* Heathrow : The Constellation Purchase By " KIBITZER THE future and the development of their overseasmarkets is worrying the American aircraft manufac-turers. There have lately been some heavy broad- sides fired at those departments of the Government which are responsible for export trade, the general aim of which has been to try and obtain greater official assistance in creating—and holding—foreign customers. The appoint- ment of the overseas representatives of the S.B.A.C. seems to have caused alarm, and there is a general feeling that the British are a jump ahead, and that similar action, possibly by the Government, should be taken here. The situation was not improved when the Foreign Liqui- dation Committee, which controls the disposal of American equipment already abroad, suggested that American air- craft manufacturers should set up service depots overseas to look after the surplus (and often obsolete) machines sold by the F.L.C. to foreign customers. This the manu- facturers seemed unwilling to do, wishing rather to concen- trate on manufacturing and selling new types before incurring the heavy outlay which the organization of such service depots would entail. It was then suggested that those firms which had aircraft in foreign hands should pool their resources and set up a jointly-owned servicing system as a temporary measure. The outcome of this idea is not known, but all through these deliberations runs the theme that, unless something is done quickly, the British will get ahead in foreign sales. It is a well-known thing that, whenever there is fierce competition, be it that of war or in peace, one always imagines that the other fellow is not only having a much more trouble-free time than oneself, but is also cooking up a witches' broth of new ideas that is just about to boil over and give him some magic advantage. Subsequent investigation generally shows such fears to be exaggerated, and this is what seems to be happening now. The Americans believe that the British have a wide network of commercial activities and that—although they are obviously short on the actual goods to sell—they will be able to hold the buyers until production »of new aircraft starts. The British, on the other hand, believe that the American aircraft manufacturer has already established a stranglehold on the overseas markets and that, with his commercial aircraft in production on a large scale, he cannot help but capture the business almost in its entirety. Obviously the answer lies somewhere between the two, but the American determination to go out after every possible market—particularly that in South America—must not be underestimated. * * * A factor which may have a wide effect on British over- seas competition and which is sometimes overlooked by observers in the U.S., is the fate of the British loan pro- posal, which is soon to be debated in Congress. American politics, like our own, are playing an increasingly lag part in international aviation, but, unfortunately, political procedures and reactions over here are not easily under- stood by foreign observers. The forthcoming debate on the loan is not likely to be any exception. It will there^ fore be as well for the British public to prepare itself for what can only seem to^them to be an unjust and probably undignified discussion. The opening shots have already been fired during a nation-wide broadcast by Senators Burton K. Wheeler and Edwin C. Johnson, both of whom are rioted for their reactionary viewpoint and who were isolationists prior to Pearl Harbour. They are both bitter opponents of the Bill, Senator Johnson describing it as " this damnable loan proposal," and Senator Wheeler saying "If we have $4,000,000,000 to give away, let us turn our attention to the United States where we have some very difficult problems . . . ." His use of the verb '' to give '' in this statement may seem a surprising misrepresentation, but it is the contention of the loan's antagonists that it will not be repaid. The Senator therefore uses this word intentionally, not because he has not studied the terms and wording of the agreement, but because his listeners are hardly likely to have done so, and will probably accept his interpretation of the terms. Similar speeches are bound to follow, and even the Ber- muda agreements—which some Senators believe to have been a victory for British interests—may become a part- issue of the debate. Fuel will also be added to the anti- British fires, already more than smouldering, by the irresponsible sections of the Press. It is even possible that the loan itself may be turned down, or modified to such an extent that it is unacceptable. For all of this one must be prepared. To those in England who have suffered so much during the war, and who are even now pull- ing in their belts instead of letting them out as is the case over here, all of this must seem most bitter in- gratitude, but it must be remem- bered that these charges come mainly from a vociferous minority. It is almost certainly correct to say that if the objects of the loan were fulh^ explained to them, the bulk of theV, American people would be in favour of it. As it is, the majority of them are probably ignorant of, and apathetic to, the important aspects. Such criticism cannot, of course, be The Lockheed (P8oa) Shooting Starwhich mounts nose armament of six 0.5 in. machine guns. A special cock-pit ladder is prov'ded for the pilot.
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