The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1937-07-14
BRITISH, NAz|
AIR FORCES
COMPARED


series of articles BY H. r. Kntck-
erbocker, noted foreign CORE
Spondent of international Mems
Service, discussing the netD out
look on the Dorld horizon
created By Great BrttGin's huge
reGrnIGment program.
(wOrId Copyright. 1887, by Interna.
tiOnal News Service. Reproduction In
4 Whole or In Part Strictly PrOhibited)
BY H. r. KNICKERBOCKER
LONDON, July 15.-Britain to-
} day has less than one-half the war
strength Of Germany in the air.
A full year since the formal
start Of British rearmament, the
Royal Air Force, although now
growing at the rate of perhaps
around 100 planes q month and
scheduled to grow faster, is still
relatively as far behind General
Goering'S air force as 1t was at
the beginning.
The gap will not be closed be-
fore the end of 1899. At the
moment Germany'S air strength
is probably equal to the com.
bined air forces Of France and
Britain. The strength in the
air OF Germany and Italy CON-
bined is probably nearly double
that of France and Britain.
Tension to Continue
These statements represent the
considered opinion of the best
neutral experts in this country,
and Of the best informed British
critics of the present govern
ment's policy of prematurely
announcing the success of its ex-
panSion program. This policy
Of the government is designed
first to convince the British
public that air defense, which Is
now accepted by all as q life
and death matter, is being
pushed with maximum efficiency.
Second, 1t is designed to con-
vince the Germans and Italians
that it is already too late to
attack.
But until the real gap between
the British and German air
forces is closed, it is the private
opinion Of British as well as
most other observers. that the
period Of tension in Europe will
continue.
Now that this country has finally
recognized what one Of Britain'S
greatest peace advocates, Lord
Cecil, admits is the loathSome
necessity of rearming." defense
against the danger Of attack In the
air is the most urgent item in the
entire program. Since no passive
defense against air attack has yet
been found adequate, defense by
repriSal has been reluctantly but
firmly adopted as the only possible
policy.
Strong Force Needed
This demands q home air force
with a striking power at least as
strong as that Of the potential
enemy Hence Britain's minimum
aim is parity with Germany's air
war strength. 1t is estimated by
the best experts and the British
public is aware that Germany has
at least 1900 to 1900 first line"
warplaneS.
Foreign air attaches estimate
that the ITS British SquadronS
number but nine apiece. making
1875 planes, and that these rep
resent not first line planes, but
practically the total number of
first line plus reserve planes, and
that of the ISIS planes, not more
than one-half are actually fit for
combat or the sort Of 1ong-diS-
lance heavy bombing the r. A. F.
would be called upon to do in
War. Sixty per cent Of the pres
ent r. A. F. bombers are old-faSh-
Toned machines with a top range
unable to reach Germany, much
less come back.
Thus it would be proper to est.
mate that the r. A. F. has about
$50 first line planes.
Aerial Display Weak
Contrasted with this number,
the Germans are conServatively
believed to have a minimum of
900, or double the British, while
behind each German first line
plane stand two others ready for
instant service. The German force
is highly integrated, with a mini
mum number of types and organ.
lied for striking power.
The r. A. r. comprises q score Of
types, has been thrown together
in haste and in the opinion of
friendly observers the first task of
the air ministry when it has filled
out the present skeleton force will
be to rebuild it altogether.
Contrary to the patriotic opin.
ion Of the London Press, the great
R. A. F. air display at Hendon last
month did not impress foreign
spectators. The "sky blanket" of
260 bomberS and fighters was the
high point of the show, but two
years ago I saw double that num-
Der Of Russian planes fly over the
Red Square. and the American
Army has flown TOO in a mass
flight for hundreds of miles. Even
the Poles staged a demonstration
of 800 at a time the very next day
after Hendon, and if the Germans
wished they could probably put
1000 planes in the air without
straining their resources.
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