The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-03-26

men carried machine guns and re. serve ammunition was dropped to them by separate parachutes. With In ten minutes the men assembled and established outpostS around the field to protect the landing of 5000 additional men, who with addition al machine guns arrived in troop carrying airplanes within an hour. Such a contingent, dropped from the skies behind an enemy's lines in time of war, would be a formidable striking force.
 A report a year ago by Marshal Mikhail Tukachevsky, vice-commis- sar of defense, declared the Soviets had several tens of thousands" of fully trained parachuters who could be used in such surprise attacks Foreigners here place the number at more than 10000.
 Landed Small Tank
 In other experiments the Soviets have successfully landed small tank from bomber and had 1t running within few minutes. The tank was fastened underneath the Rirplane by iron straps.
 In their development of gliders, whose value also is untested in war, the Soviets are working on the the- ory that numbers of the inexpensive and silent craft could be lowed close to enemy lines at night and then cut loose. Guided by sknlful operators, 1t is believed the gliders could soar unseen over the lines, giving observers a chance to spot the enemy positions and return to their own lines. Or they might be used to land spies at nigh tbehind the enemy lines.
 Gliders might be loaded with ex- plosives, whichc could be dumped on enemy positions with greater accur- acy than bombs because the gliders theoretically would be able 10 come close to the ground without being discovered. Pilots of gliders in such exploits undoubtedly would be killed in the explosion, but volunteers al- ways are ready to undertake such hazardous ventures. In the experi- lnentS, gliders have carried loads up to c ton and a half.
 100000 Gliders Trained
 It is estimated that 160,OOO men have been trained in the operation of gliders, whichc are used for pre- liminary air training and for sports.
 While the size of Russia's air force is secret, production of military air planes and equipment undoubtedly has been increasing at lively pace Figures are issued only in percent ages, to conceal actual numbers. The latest report asserts that in the first 10 months of 1936 output of military planes was increased 100 per cent and of motors 46 per cent, as compared with the corresponding pesdod in 1935. Performance of a newly- developed motor is asserted to equal that of the best British and American engines.
 General efficiency of Russian avaition is proved by the world rec ords set in reaching an altitude of 42,087 feet with a load of HOO pounds and a height of only 165 feet lc&o WAAI d z1VV pOuuu lOhu'
 15O,O00 Pilots
 As for aviation personnel. a recent official announcement satted the goal was to train 150,000 pilots.
 While the Soviets until lately have concentrated on building up their air and land forces, they now are devoting much attention also to building up a defensive navy. This is the subject of much unqualified curiosity among other powers.
 The most definite hint so far as to the extent of naval construction was a recent newspaper article by Rornuald A. Mulkevich, vice com missar of defense industry, which said that the Soviets lin the last few years have provided several hundred modern warships."
 Observers are convinced that he referred mainly to submarines and other small craft. Some naval writ CTS credit figure of 90 submarines built or building on the Baltic Sea alone, with about 40 based at Vlad- ivostok on the Pacific. Those figures do not take into account the Black Sea fleet, and if they are correct the Soviets have the worlds largest sub-