DOMINION AIR FORCE

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 285, 31 August 1942, Page 4

DOMINION AIR FORCE

Operational And Training Machines SUBSTANTIAL EXPANSION •New Zeahlnd’s air strength is a considerable factor to -be reckoned with in any possible war operations in. this area,” said tlie Minister ■ of 'Defence, Mr,-Jones, in referring or Saturday to thq growing strength of the Royal New Zealand Air Force by the employment of new types of aircraft', He sajd that by wv iiebple in most -parts of. New Zealand -would have seen .in the air new types' of'tighter and bomber aircraft which’had been added to.the Air Force, and it would be appreciated that these subsfhn’tlally augmented New Zealand's air Strength.

"Though' it is siltisfaetory to know chat we have been tilde to increase our air wtrength in th,is way, wqiure not overlooking, the. fact that wo-have .a. formidafile opponent to face," said Mr. Jones,-/ “The preparations we are making ' demonstrate tlie'attitude we have adopted-—that is, to be. satisfied with nothing but a constant improvement in. our fighting strength and efficiency. To lieat the enemy we must be stronger than he is, and that is both our method and our alm. •••In addition to new operational type aircraft, we Imvo'several modern types of single and twin-engined, training aircraft in service, and these are being u-.sed to nrovlde New Zealnnfl air crews with advanced training instruction and operational training experience. Many of our instructors have returned from active service overseas, and are thus- thoroughly familiar with wai-' flying conditions and tactics. The result is that advanced training can be carried out in sueh a manner that we can bo assured tlmt our operational units are manned by thoroughly ~qualified tiersonnel, and that the conduct of air operations will be iu skilled and experienced hands’. Attack on Enemy Bases.

"It is not possible, for obvious reasons..for me to give full details of the development of our air policy in this direction, but I cun say that New Zealand’s air strength is a considerable factor to be reckoned with in any possible win- operations in this area. -It may also be said, that we are looking considerably lieyond. our own shores. YVe realize'that to beat the enemy we must carry the attack to his bases, wherever we can. YY’e already cooperate in this task; in the Pacific.” Referring more specilieally to the new aircraft, Mr. Jones mentioned tlmt some types had been engaged for some time. In carrying out long range patrol and reconnaissance duties. "The Hudson reconnaissance bomber is now a familiar sight in this country,” said the Minister, "and, quite apart from our own experience, we know that'these aircraft have established a magnificent record in the Coastal Command of the Royal Air Force. Another aircraft type which has done good work for tlie Coastal Command, particula.rly in the early days of the war, is the. Avro Anson reconnaissance bomber, and numbers of these have also arrived in New Zealand, These aircraft are most valuable for advanced operational training purposes.' “A formidable addition -to our lighter aircraft strength Ims, been the. Ki ttyIm wk, a type which is at the present time inflicting heavy, losses against the Japanese in Northern Australia. These aircraft have scored many notable successes against the enemy in the Middle East, and have proved themselves to lie in the -first rank of modern lighters.”