Germany's Air Strength An article in the Economist of last
week gives some valuable estimates of the relative strengths of the British and German Air Forces. One calculation suggests that the total number of German first-line aeroplanes mobilisable in time of war at the end of 1938 was 5,5oo to 6,000; to these must be added 750 machines (other sources give a higher num- ber), seized in Czecho-Slovakia. By other and more usual methods of calculation, based on German, Italian, and American information, a total of from 3,200-4,209 planes is reached ; and monthly production is given as 800. This figure, for the end of last year, is thought to be an exaggera- tion, and 600 a month at the present time more probable. The British programme of 2,370 machines has already been exceeded, and British production, estimated at 400 a month at the beginning of this year, is considerably higher by now ; the rate of increase in production is higher in Britain than in Germany. The article's conclusion that British air strength, and production, stood to German in a ratio of 2:3 at th,e beginning of this year is on the whole encouraging, given the improvement that has taken place in this country since ; there may have been improvement in Germany too, but the capacity for expansion is considerably higher here than there.
Previous page
