ARMIES’ MOVEMENT BY AIR

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 259, 31 July 1942, Page 5

ARMIES’ MOVEMENT BY AIR

LONDON, July 29. An appeal for greater use of scientific and- inventive talent was made by Lord Strabolgi in the House of Lords. "Are we looking to the next development of the war, in which whole armies will be carried by air, with supplies of transport and other equipment?” lie asked. “We see the beginnings of this in Russia, where the Germans arc organizing the flying train. Have we surprises for the enemy when we open a second front, or will we proceed by the classical method of landing from boats, as in Nelson’s day? “The American scientific world seems to be fully mobilized, whereas in Britain anyone sending in a new proposal seems to be treated cither as a crank or a criminal. lam reliably informed that Constantinesco, inventor of the synchronized tiring mechanism for -machineguns iu planes iu the last war, designed a motor torpedoboat capable of 200 miles an hour in a rough sea, and that he could not get a hearing.” Lord Snell, replying, said the Government encouraged and even pamix*red inventors. The three supply departments alone employed 4000 scientists directly. The Admiralty recognized the brilliance of M. Contantinesco’s mind, but it could not be expected to place orders for something the drawings or details of which he would not disclose. Regarding the suggestion for an air-borne army, tlie Government was looking ahead. The resources for the equipment of airborne operations must be balanced with other requirements over the whole field of construction.