THE AEROPLANE AND ARMAGEDDON

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 90, 13 October 1934, Page 25

THE AEROPLANE AND ARMAGEDDON

No country will be able to defend itself sufficiently against modern air attacks, in the opinion of Mr. Anthony Fokker, the famous aeroplane designer, whose machines during the last war did much to maintain Germany's air strength. He is still busy designing and building machines in his native, Holland, says the "News-Chronicle." Eeferring recently to the part aeroplanes would play in the event of war, Mr. Fokker said: ''Largo squadrons of aeroplanes, probably amounting to many hundreds, will swoop down on the enemy country to get the first blow in. They will fly very high, out of sight above the clouds, or else very low., regardless of the risk, and they will attack with high-explosive and incendiary bombs. Although these attacks will, first of all, be aimed at military objects, such as enemy aerodromes, industrial centres, munition factories, main traffic centres, etc., they will at the same time bring disaster to the civil population. "Even if such a ruthless attack could be cheeked to some extent, what defence could there be against. an attack in f o^£>-'. .;■* bad weather against aeroplanes 'flying blind' with modern direction-finders and guided by wireless? Do people xealise that in the next war in the air the whole system of spying will be different? Do they realise that' one spy, possessing a secret sending apparatus, could direct the entire enemy fleet over the city they wish to attack?

"Of course," said Mr. Fbkker, "gas will also be used, but I do not. think it will be so effective as some people

think, and I do not see how 'whole populations' can •be wiped out by gas attacks from the air. Too many circumstances must "be favourable to a gas attack before it can be carried out successfully. The bombing aeroplanes will cause the greatest disaster. These modern light bombers- that have been built recently attain speeds that practically equal the speed of high-powered fighting machines."

Mr. Fokker then gave his opinion on the vexed question of how useful a civil aeroplane would be for military purposes. "We all know," he said, "that a first-class fast civil aeroplane is basically not much different from a high-powered aeroplane. My own latest creation, the F. 36, can carry six tons, which might include two tons of bombs, and can fly at a speed of nearly 200 miles an hour. Who would imagine this, looking at this peaceful aeroplane when it goes on the AmsterdamBatavia run, with its thirty-two passengers, beds, and stewards?" . Discussing the question of men to man the machine, Mr. Fofeker pointed out that Russia has understood the need for trained men in reserve and is training large numbers of , highlyeificient pilots and mechanics. Russia, he thinks, is much more advanced in air power than many people think.

"Another Power of great airimportance is Japan," Mr. Fokker 'added. "That country has not only been building vast numbers of large four-engined war machines, but she is determined to develop a first-class industry to turn out what she may require'in the event of war."