| Show U. U S. S Possesses Superior Military Planes But Ranks Only Fifth in Fighting Power k Cm LI fi w r S fF v irv l f Y 1 v v B v u w A l m 41 3 aG a r 4 7 5 fe t i-t V S f K I g K x te ol 1 Of r i Y fc v N fc if t liV few i l 5 mw- mw w L tI- tI t atry ncr c V Against a background of a mighty might squadron of Italian fighting fighting fight fight- in ing planes ready at moments moment's notice to answer ver a war decla declara- declara NEW V YORK 11 May a 7 UP The UP-The The performance of American merican military planes is superior to that of an any other nation in 1935 1035 but the United States ranks only fifth In strength among the seven se air powers of the France leads leads leads-in in military planes but the present rapid building of German and other air fleets makes the rankings s subject to change The Aircraft Year Book published published published pub pub- toda today supporting th the the theory or that the next war will be fought in the air predicted development within the next t few years year of huge machines capable of carrying 50 SO soldiers with full fighting fighting fighting fight fight- ing equipment or their equivalent in m bombs and flying three miles high at miles an hour A fleet of such planes could transport a considerable army at such speed as to revolutionize present war methods Comparative Air Ir Strength th The following table shows the comparative air strength of the u T W U lion tion is shown h th the comparative vf military y aircraft i strength c of f world powers in 1935 seven leading powers as compiled complIed by the year book January Januar 1931 1 1935 France Franco Russia 2200 2209 British Empire 2500 2800 Italy Ital 2300 2300 United States 1700 2060 Japan n 1500 1509 1850 Germany German GOO GOG The year book points out that only 1600 of the American planes were modern enough for or emergency whereas Germany will have some 2600 modern craft in 1937 Russia is making surprising advances and Japan will spend on expansion U. U S. S First Commercially They represented less than half the combined strength necessary to place the United States on anything lil like o an equal footing with other air nir powers dowers in iii view of American areas to be protected the year yearbook yearbook ear book boole said The United States State however ranked first in commercial aviation aviation aviation avia avia- tion according to the publication Although numerically Britain ranks s third as a military air power actually actually actually ac ac- ac- ac it is the strongest Great Britain can aircraft aircraft aircraft air air- craft on her large merchant fleet and establish an air force in m any corner of the world the year ear book explains She has 50 merchant ships which she might convert into aircraft carriers in time of war At least a thousand planes were available for tor the defense of London London London Lon Lon- don at the beginning of 1935 and the bombing squadrons were ready to strike at an any foe on land or sea in British waters or at enemy bases anywhere in Europe Front l Could Move 10 Far It was with that in mind t the he be publication continued that Mr Stanley Baldwin during 1931 1 re remarked remarked remarked re- re marked in the house of oC commons that the battle front in future would be on the Rhine At the beginning of 1935 man many experts were of the opinion that the British front might conceivably move eastward eastward eastward east east- ward as f far lr as north Russia or India The year boo book Ie explaining the decrease decrease de dc- de- de crease in the thc number of French military planes this year as ns compared compared compared com com- pared to last said France is junking junking junk junk- ing hundreds of planes and re replacing replacing replacing re- re placing them with new modern fi fighters Germany German the book said presented presented pre an example of the fact that treaties do not of themselves prevent prevent pre pre- vent a nations nation's arming In the air The publication set forth that the reach has the nucleus of of an an air force that is being rapidly ex ex- Fourfold Outlay Planned The German program the book continues contemplates an expenditure expenditure expenditure ex ex- of for air defense defense defense de de- de- de in 1935 That is nearly four times the 1934 expenditure The aircraft factories were placed on a war production basis at the be beginning inning of 1935 The drafting rooms engineering laboratories laboratories laboratories labora labora- tories and testing stations were placed under armed guards da day and night German shipyards ards were given orders for flying boat hulls of huge dimensions and there too d details e eta t a i l I s were being jealously guarded The book said that soviet Russia maintains a number of air bases each equipped with hundreds of combat planes close to the frontiers frontiers frontiers fron fron- tiers In Europe and Asia Japan Worried b by Ru Russia Russian officials in responsible positions admit that the soviet air force in the far eastern section of Siberia has available more than bombing planes capable of carrying a half ton of ot bombs and flying nonstop nonstop nonstop non non- stop for or more than 1500 miles Japan is spending In expanding its military air force according to the book which adds The proximity of Ru Russia's sia red air fleet in Siberia is mos most t disturbing disturbing disturbIng disturb disturb- ing to the Japanese government It Itis ItIs Itis is realized that Russian squadrons might if they chose sweep down from the Vladivostok area and bomb the Japanese industrial centers centers centers cen cen- by flying fling only or miles Tho The publication reveals that Japan is building huge air bases at on Hol Hokkaido kaido island miles mites nort northeast east o of Vladivostok and at on Honshu island miles mites east of Vladivostok From these points it adds Japan could easH easily raid Russian bases in event of war |
