Show australia to speed up plane CANBERRA AUSTRALIA A program for making australia one of the front rank world air powers by march 1943 has been announced by prime minister robert G menzies it involves an increase of 11 times the present program for training pilots observers gunners and air craftsmen and an increase of seven times in the present program for the production of aircraft large gain this year this would give australia by the time the program is in full operation in march 1943 a total aviation personnel of and an air force of about 2000 planes with the program and production then in full operation era tion prime minister menzies believes that australia can increase the air force each year until it ranks with the most powerful air nations in the world under the program as launched australia will have trained men consisting of crews pilots and ground personnel by june 1941 by june 1942 an additional will have been trained and by march 1943 when the entire program win be in full operation an additional will have been trained giving australia an aviation personnel of which will be maintained thereafter for carrying out the program training raining of pilots there will be installed as rapidly as possible three initial ground training schools 10 elementary flying training schools four air observers schools tour four bombing 0 and gunnery schools four wireless eless operators schools and two air navigation schools As regards the participation in the war the crews of the royal australian air force will be earmarked to be concentrated into self contained purely australian squadrons as rapidly as feasible adequate defense Is goal menzies announced that this rapid increase in aviation coupled with the rapid growth that is taking place in the military and naval program is intended to make australia capable of defending itself in addition to this element of self defense he declared it would enable australia in connection with great britain canada and new zealand to be party to the plans that are vital to assure an allied victory with such an air force menzies pointed out that the highest authorities agree that it would give australia always the mastery of the air as it would never be possible for an enemy with ship based aircraft to get the upper hand of a land based aviation in a country as large as australia because of the opportunity for inland air bases |