Evening star., 1932-02-14
WORLD WAR WOULD FIND
i. S. BEHIND in AVIATION
This Country, Now Fourth in Strength of
Forces Ready for Combat, May Soon
Be Further Down the Scale.

rIduCe sIedCeSI UItleIl IS III pIdHeS
used for observation and cooperation
with ground and marine forces. She
has more planes Of this type alone than
the total military air strengths of any
of the other powers. The report shows
Frances observation strength to be O.
BIT planes: Russia'S, 923; the United
States, 871; Italy's, 1872; the British
Empires, $50, and Japan'S, 588.
The United States is able to creep
into position of world leadership only
in the number of flying boats, which
are used extensively by the Navy for
long range patrol purposes. The United
States has GA planes of this class,
France 80. Japan 80. the British EN-
pire %, Russia 13 and Italy II.
So do the powers stand ready for in
slant battle in the air.
France, Great Britain, Italy and the
United States. it was shown, maintain
in some possessions units of their ma
tional air forces. Australia, Canada,
the Irish Free State, New Zealand and
the Union of South Africa have small
air forces of their own patterned after
that of Great Britain and capable of
quick expansion in war India has a
contingent of the British Royal Air
Force.
When the plumber of fighting air.
planes in active service with the armies
and independent air forces is con-
sidered, France still is comfortably in
the lead with SOB. as compared with
1.l76 for Italy, 1080 for Russia, 1.O7O
for the British Empire, 706 for the
United States and 344 for Japan.
Working on Protector" Planes.
All of the powers. it was pointed out,
now are working on protector" planes.
These are multi-place fighters with 6,
or 10 machine guns covering all
angles and in some cases heavy guns
firing one and one-half pound high ex-
plosive shells. These planes are de-
signed to fly up to attitudes of four
miles and at speeds up to ITO miles per
hour.
When it comes to the matter of fight
ing airplanes in reserve with the armies
and independent air forces, Frances
lead becomes overwhelming. The rec
ords show Frances reserve to be 1850
planes while the British Empire, stand
ing second, has but 683 reserve planes.
Great Britain alone has but 535 planes
OF this type in reserve. Japan stands
third with 476 planes: Italy fourth with
42O, the United States fifth with 327
and Russia sixth with 300.
The United States takes the leader
ship for the first time in the report
when 1t comes to the number of Navy
fighting planes active and reserve
available for operations with the feet.
This country leads comfortably in this
respect with 776 planes: France being
second with Sis: Japan third with 492:
the British Empire fourth with 3l2;
Italy fifth with 238 and Russia sixth
with 140.
,JaDan and the limited Sta+ee are N.
only powers to maintain feet aviation
as separate organizations apart from
their military air forces. TIE fleet units
OF the others are drawn from their in
dependent air branches.
Great Britain. though fourth in the
number of naval fighting planes, stands
out ahead Of all other powers in the
number and tonnage of airplane car
riers. She has six of these vessels, with
a total tonnage Of 115,350 tons. The
United States. with its three carriers,
totaling 1926 tons. is second. The
new carrier now building will bring this
country's total to 90,086 tons. Japan
also has three carriers. totaling 6l270
tons and is building another which
will bring its total to $3.50 tons.
France has a single carrier of 2l.653
tons displacement. Naval treaties
limit Great Britain and the United
States to $4,000 tons of carriers each
and Japan to $1,000.
The standing of the powers is the
same in point of Navy fighting planes
in active service with the fleet as the
active and reserve naval plane stand
ing. the United States taking the lead
with 426 planes and Japan ranking
second with 254 planes.
France Leads In Pilots.
France and Italy lead with trained
pilots in active service. France with
1881 and Italy with 3,039. The British
Empire has 2,608 trained pilots in the
service, the United States 2.208. Rus
sia 1,947 and Japan 1915 The lists
of pilots include both officers and en-
listed men holding pilots ratings. In
numbers of officers and men in the
active service trained for tactical and
combat duties, France has a tctal of
39,287, the British Empire 1888. the
United States 24,943. Italy 23,404, Rus
sla 1851 and Japan 14308.
France again takes the lead in the
number of reserve of trained pilots
trained for tactical and combat duties.
Its reserve force includes 4,361 trained
pilots. The United States is second
with 2,460. The British Empire has
l,050 trained reserve pilots, Italy 676,
Russia 35l and Japan 1856.
Aviation reserves, however, are not
strictly comparable because in some
countries compulsory service augments
the size of reserve force. though the
experience of the reservist might not
be as thorough or extensive as that Of
volunteer. Then too. it is pointed
cut. reserve pilots are of little value in
war until they have refreshed training
and pass physical examinations to de-
termlne their fitness for active service
The reports show that the six lead
ing air powers have a total of 23843
pilots trained for war, eihter on active
duty or in reserve. France having 1882
Of this total, the United States 1853,
the British Empire 1883, Italy 3,7l5,
Russia 2,298 and Japan 1852.
U. S. Leads in Peace time.
In peace-time commercial aviation
the United States leaps far into the
lead. In mileage Of airways the United
States, with a total of 49254 miles has
more than twice the total of its near
est competitor. the British Empire
which has 22,297 miles, of which 5000
miles are in Great Britain and the re-
mainder in or connecting its dominions
The world now has more than 10000
miles CT charted air routes
In the matter of airports, which in
time of war would become flying CEN
ters, available for mobilization, training
and servicing. the United States has
as many as the other six leading pow
ers combined. The total shown for
this country IN the report Is 1,205 air
ports, the British Empire being second
with 507 and Russia third with 256.
The United States also has twice the
number of civil airplanes of the other
powers combined. many of these planes
being available for auxiliary duties in
war, such as the transportation of men
and supplies. This country boasts a
total of 10,235 civil planes, the British
Empire, second in this respect. being
able to muster total of 2.o70 in Great
Britain and all its dominions, while
France, third, has 1920 civil planes.
This country also has more civilian
pilots than all six other powers COM
bined, with total of 16,709 as against