Evening star., 1940-07-27

W. LuycItO tOH LS tOuTtUg SOuH
America as guest OF Pan
american Airways. His articles,
sent By mail, ,Uil be published
as they are received. This is the
tweltth OF series.
BY JOSEPH S. EDGERTON,
Star Aviation Editor.
RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (by
AlrmaiD Facing an air defense
problem which more closely paral-
lels that of the United States than
any other American republic, Bra
lillian aviation leaders are seeking
to build up an air defense organiza-
ton which, in many essentials, will
resemble our own.
Called upon to patrol and defend
the major portion of the Atlantic
coast line of South America and
that section which is closest to
Europe and Africa and most threat
ened by possible European aggres-
sion, Brazilian military aviation
leaders, especially in the naval avia-
tion arm, are working toward the
creation OF long-range recon-
naissance and bombardment force
capable of guarding an off shore
coastal area up to 300 miles in
width.
BY courtesy of the Brazilian Naval
Ministry, the writer was given an
opportunity denied to most foreign
ers of visiting the thoroughly mod
ern national naval air base on Ihla
Governador in the mountain-gi
bay opposite Rio de Janeiro, of in
specting the complete installation
there, including the naval airplane
factory, and in discussing with avia-
ton leaders aviation and defense
problems
Building New Ships.
The one-hour trip to the island
was made on naval steam launch
from the navy yard at Rio. where
the navy now is undermining the
battleship Minas Geraes and is
building six thoroughly modern
large river gunboats and two de-
stroyers as part of comprehensive
naval program. The tour of the
base was conducted by Comdr. An
tonic Appel Netto, commander of
the base and pilot who ranks as
a veteran among any in the world.
Comdr. Netto was on duty in Wash
!ngton in 1923 and is familiar with
the air problems of both nations.
Not content with regular flying
duties which might tax younger
pilot, Comdr. Netto owns his own
private airplane, in which he flies
back and forth daily between his
base and Rio. His wife also is an
accomplished pilot-first and fore
most Brazilian woman f1yer-and
flies regularly from the field of the
Aero Club of Brazil.
The Brazilian constitution forbids
engagement of the armed forces of
the nation in any war of aggression.
This, coupled with the fact that the
Brazilian Navy has no f1eet-base
aviation and is designed wholly for
short-range defense action, makes
the role of Brazilian naval aviation
almost identical with that of the
General Headquarters Air Force of
the United States Army. Unlike the
United States naval air force, which
is designed to accompany the fleet,
therefore, the Brazilian air force is
a coastal defense weapon composed
almost exclusively of land-based
airplanes
Built From German Patterns.
Because of the large price diff
ferential in favor of German air.
craft and machinery as compared
with United States planes and ms :
chinery. due largely to German gov
ernmental subsidies, the Brazilian
naval air force has very substan-
tial portion of German aircraft or
airplanes built by the Brazilian navy
from German patterns. Many of
the machine tools in the naval avia-
ton factory also are of German
make. One squadron of twin-en-
gined Focke- -Wulf bombers is based
at Ihla Governador in the same
hangar with a squadron of single
engined North American planes
from the United States.
The Ihla Governador base was
established IL years ago and the 90
year-old Brazilian naval aviation
training school was moved there 10
years ago. The thoroughly modern
factory was opened only year ago,
in June, 1889 The base is exceed
ingly picturesque. located on
rather large island in bay justly
famed as one of the most beautiful
in the world. The base itself
breathes an atmosphere of orderly
efficiency. The buildings are large,
very we'll designed and are not only
good functionally but architecture
ally. They are surrounded by con-
crete and granite roads and walks,
close-clipped lawns and flower beds,
shaded by palms and other tropical
trees. Only In its landing field is
Ihla Governador unfortunate Funds
have been sloW-coming for grading
and leveling the field and an area
of only 500 by $50 meters, or little
more than $500 feet in longest di-
mension, is available and this with
out paved runways
From this very small field tre-
mendous amount of flying is carried
on by airplanes of many types and
here the navy carries on its pilot
training program. The field also is
the chief base for the Brazilian
naval airmail service. Both the
army and navy operate airmail pro-
ice as part of their training pro-
gram, the army serving inland
points on three principal routes,
while the navy operates along the
coast.
$40 Trained Pilots.
The Brazilian Navy today has 1870
trained pilots and the army 24o.
Both are undertaking training pro-
grams. The navy now has only five
pilots in training, three civilians and