Evening star., 1941-03-14
Planes
Continued From First Page

terranean skies increasingly unsafe
for Nazi air squadronS as produc-
ton grows.
1t is not revealing any military
confidence to disclose where Ameri-
can warplanes have been going.
The same type of analysis which
shows their destination, on the basis
of published information, can be
made by any enemy agent with any
sort of background of knowledge
of American production.
Such an analysis shows, for ex-
ample, that during the month of
January, of the 419 airplanes ex-
ported from the United States to
the British Empire, only 102 ac-
tually went to England. An analysis
of the cost figures discloses that
virtually all of these were big bonn
bardment airplanes and it is known
that most of them went across the
North Atlantic under their own
power.
Continuing the analysis of the
dollar value figures against unit
figures which have been made public
separately, it becomes evident that
the 12o airplanes which went across
the South Atlantic to the African
Gold Coast were of the pursuit or
fighter type.
Being Made at Rate of so a Week.
1t is probable that all, or practi-
cally all of these 100 airplanes were
the new Curtiss P-40, which the
British call the Tomahawk type.
P-40s now are rolling off the pro-
duction line at Buffalo at a rate of
10 a day, five days a week, with
increasing Saturday and Sunday
production.
In addition, there were 10 planes
which went to the Union of South
Africa, or total of 139 airplanes
in all routed from American fac
tories to the African continent.
The next greatest single group of
aircraft went to Canada, which re-
ceived 135 of all types, many of
them trainers to be used in pre-
pairing fighting pilots from many
parts of the British Empire and
Allies from Norway, Czecho-Slo-
vakia, Poland and other victims of
NaI conquest.
1t also is disclosed that the 43
airplanes which went to British
Malaga were predominantly of the
fighter type.
Britain Got SO Per Cent.
The British Empire received %
per cent, by dollar value, of all
aircraft exported from the United
States during January. The actual
total is 27 per cent greater than
the deliveries during December, go
per cent greater than those during
January, 1910, and 9 per cent greater
than those during August, the
highest monthly total during 1910.
During January, 1910, only SO air.
planes went from the United States
to all parts of the British Empire
This increased to 321 during Decem-
Der and 419 during January of this
year.
The routing of the American COM
bat airplaneS, as disclosed perhaps
unwittingly in the Commerce De-
partment figures, is highly signif-
lcant. The fact that most of the
pursuits are going elsewhere than
to England indicates an increasing
confidence on the part of the British
that they are safe from an invasion
at home and are ready and able to
carry the war against the axis to
other fronts.
English Plane Production.
1t also is evidence of the fact that
production of pursuit or fighter
planes in England has not been seri-
ously hurt by German bombardments
and that the English feel this do
mestic production is sufficient to
keep up with English and Ameri-
can production of bombardment air.
planes for operation from English
airdromes.
There has been earlier evidence
that pursuit planes were piling up
on Canadian awaiting ship