BRITAIN’S AIR ARM.

Waikato Times, Volume 119, Issue 19893, 23 May 1936, Page 31 (Supplement)

BRITAIN’S AIR ARM.

* GOVERNMENT PLANS. ‘SURPRISING GROWTH SHOWN_ Formation of a “Metropolitan Airl Force” of some 129 squadrons, armed ; ‘with 1750 firstdine aircraft and~ ‘baeked by full war reserves of menl and material, takes pride of place in the White Paper on Defence. The title supersedes “Home Defence Force”; it embraces not only units which formerly were allotted exclusively to the protection of the home country. but also army ctr-operation squadrons and flyinmbnat units. Air Marshal Sir (‘yril Newall, Air Member of Council for Supply and Organisation, has explained very clearly the postwar process that preceded the plans for the greatly expanded Metropolitan Force and the substantial augmentation of British air power overseas for which the White Paper provides. At the Armistice the Royal Air Force comprised 157 squadrons. with 3,300 first-line aircraft. 30,000 officers and 264,000 men. Immediately after the War the Service was drastically reduced, and by March. 10:10, it consisted in only 2:; squadrons. In 1922 the Govern—ment approved an addition of 18 squadrons t 0 the 3'3. squadrons whieh then made up the Royal Air Force; 13 of these were to be for llume ltet'enee. Increase in Squadrons. l By March. 102.1. the number of squadrons had risen to 30. but only three at them were allotted to Home Defence. That .\‘ear the Government appron-d what became generally known as the “Home lwr‘ein'e l‘pran—sinn Scheme." under whieh a force of .‘u'J llome Defence squadrons was authorised. The original intention was to complete this programme by 1920, but there were successive post: uunenicnts and even bv the end at

March, 1984, the Home Defence Force —the first line of Britain’s protection from attack—consisted only of 42 squadrons. Two more squadrons were added to Home Defence in the Air Estimates for 1934-35, which also provided for a new flying-boat squadron and addi—tional aircraft for the Fleet Air Arm. Later in that year the worsening international situation decided the Government to raise the Home Defence Force to ‘75 squadrons, in addition to which 7! new squadrons were approved for overseas garrisons and the Fleet Air Arm. “White Paper" Programme. In May last year the Government announced a further and more rapid expansion, with the immediate objective of creating a “Metropolitan Air Force” of 123 squadrons, with firstline strength of about 1500 aircraft. In 1934 the force included under this new title was made up of 42 Home Defence squadrons, 5 army co-opera-tion squadrons and 5 flying-boat squadrons; the degree of expansion proposed, therefore, was one of 71 squadrons. This programme has been succeeded by the new and more considerable scheme outlined in the White Paper, which is planned to enlarge the Metropolitan Air Force to 129 squadrons for service overseas, to increase substantially the strength of the Fleet Air Arm, to organise industry for immediate quantity production in emergency, and to provide full war reserves of personnel and equipment.