Evening star., 1932-02-14
BY JOSEPH s. EDGERTON.

~ 1are 10 develop luCO WOTlQ
NV conf1agration, as many OBJ
servers fear it may, the out
break of hostilities would
find the United States greatly out
classed in military aviation by other
world powers.
This country, now fourth among the
powers in the strength Of the air force
it could muster Immediately for COM
bat, very soon may find itself even
further down the scale. With Japan
and Russia speeding up their produc-
ton of fighting planes. this country
soon may find itself outclassed in air
strength by six world powers.
In the number Of fighting planes
actually in the service this Nation,
ranking fifth today, may be driven soon
into seventh place. The reserve fight
ing plane strength of the Nation is no
reserve strength, the United States is
in grave danger Of dropping to sixth or
seventh place before Summer rolls
around.
Russia Bids for Supremacy.
Based on the number Of pilots in
active service, this country ranks fourth
among the powers, but in this position
also it is threatened by the Japanese
and Russian bids for air supremacy.
Though the United States technically
is rated as second among the world
powers in trained reserve combat pilot
strength, this rating is regarded by
military aviation authorities in Wash
ington as exceedingly optimistic, in view
of the failure of Congress to provide
for the training of these men. First
class reserve pilots today average only
49 minutes of training time a month,
and a majority Of them have lost or
are rapidly losing all their value for
immediate combat duty.
1t is only in naval aviation and in
oeace-time air transport that the United
States is able to show superiority over
other leading powers in the air
The figures upon which the compare
tive strength of the nations in the air is
based are the result of painstaking
research over period of six months by
a group Of experts in all parts of the
world. The figures, though regarded as
the most accurate ever assembled are
not off1cial, because the powers have
consistently refrained from making
such comparisons or issuing figures
upon which an official comparison could
be based.
Byoir Directs Research
There have been difficulties because
of different methods among the differ
ent nations of computing available
combat strength and reserve strength.
The figures, however are regarded as
the most accurate that are possible to
attain. The research workers compil-
ing them were directed by Carl Byoir of
New York. and were assembled through
the joint efforts of leaders of the
nd
All governments are irrevocably COM
mitted to the policy of developing avia-
tion as the third arm of national de-
fense. of equal importance with land
and sea forces" Byoir said in announc-
ing the results of his studies. There
are seven real air powers-the British
Empire, France, Germany. Italy, Japan,
Russia and the United States.
-Four of these powers have air forces
wholly independent of the older
branches. Great Britain has her Royal
Air Force, which is also a model for
smaller forces in all the great dominions
of the empire France has her Army of
the Air, Italy has her Regia Aeronautica
and Soviet Russia her Red Air Fleet.
The United States and Japan still hold
that military and naval aviation have
two separate and distinct functions and
to unite them would be to weaken the
efficiency Of one or the other; so they
have divided air forces with their ar
mics and fleets.
THE treaty Of Versailles prohibits
Germany from having air forces OF
any description. The Reich is included
here because Germany ranks with the
best in civil aviation. in engineering, de-
sign and construction, in the develop
ment of aerial trade routes and in
struction of her people in the countless
peacetime activities that contribute to
air power when a government declares
war
Regardless Of organization all the
Powers operate their air forces on the
same general principles They will en-
ploy their first line tactical strength in
three different ways. as occasion may
require-1st, to assist and protect the
Army while the ground troops seize and
hold surface cbjectives; End, escort and
defend the Fleet until it reaches its OBJ
iective; and 3rd, act independently in
home defense or as a raiding force,
swooping down upon the enemy and
obliterating him before he can strike
decisive blow"
First Line Tactical Strength.
The figures upon which the report is
based deal only with first line tacti-
cal strength - the airplanes which
would be used in combat service if war
were declared today. They do not in
clude primary training, experimental
and obsolete machines which
form third of the planes in most air
forces, it was explained
On this basis, the report continues,
France has the largest air force. Great
Britain and the United States rival
each other in highest efficiency, with
Italy following closely. Japan has the
smallest air force but is making steady
progress. German aviation, while nom
military in appearance. is second to
none in skill and technique. Soviet
ambitious of all planning to develop
her Red Air Fleet until it matches the
combined forces Of Europe.
The report on the total number OF
all fighting airplanes, both active and
reserve. of the armies, navies and in
dependent air forces of the six mill
tary air powers shows France leading
with more than double the strength of
any other great nation.
The totals are France, 4,683 planes:
the British Empire, including its
dominion forces, 2,065 planes; Italy,
1884; the United States, 1909; Russia,
1920 and Japan, 1872.
In pursuit or fighter planes Of the
single scatter type, the backbone of any
aerial offensive strength, France boasts
an overwhelming superiority. She can
muster a total Of 1,240 of these little
wasps of the air, as against 572 for
Italy; 541 fer the United States; 464
for Japan; 403 for the British Empire
and 357 for Russia.
France also is overwhelmingly
superior in heavy bombardment planes,
having 561 as compared with 218 for
italy. 211 for the British Empire, 209
for the United States, 90 for Japan
and 72 for Russia.
Specialize in Light Bombers.
The British, however, ,shave specialized
in light bombers, especially Of the high
speed types and have 1888 Of this type