NEW SWISS AIR FORCE

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 68, 18 August 1947, Page 7

NEW SWISS AIR FORCE

AT LEAST 500 PLANES .. NECESSITY OF TRAINING FOREIGN PILOTS It is announced that Switzerland is to maintain a peacetime air force of at least 500 aircraft of the latest type, states Reuters’ Berne correspondent. An order in Britain for 75 De Davilland Vampire jet aircraft, at a cost of £3,088,235, is only a first step in the formation of this force, it was stated. Plans are under consideration for the manufacture in Switzerland of Vampire jet aircraft under licence.

Explaining the need of an efficient force, the Swiss Federal Council said that if the country became involved in war the task of defence would devolve “on our own tactical air force. Any allied tactical air force could only be effective if its airfields were within easy range, for its use of our own airfields would entail considerable difficulties.” These difficulties were described as the comparatively small size of Swiss airfields, and the necessity of training foreign pilots for the flying conditions in the Alps. The Government decided, to purchase Vampires because of their great manoeuvrability. “It became evident that a gigantic revolution was taking place in the method of aircraft propulsion, and especially great progress has been made in Britain,” it is stated officially.

It also turned out that Britain is already employing in her air force types which require only a few hundred yards’ - starting and landing run, and that although these aircraft were capable of horizontal speeds of 530 to 560 miles an hour, they could also be flown safely at less than 125 miles an hour.