§ Mr. PERKINSasked the Under-Secretary of State for Air the total number of first-line aircraft owned by Great Britain, France, Japan, America, and Russia in 1918 and 1934?
§ Sir P. SASSOONAccording to my information, the current first-line strengths of the countries specified below are approximately as follow:
I am not in a position to give an up-to-date figure for Japan, since the Japanese air services are at present in process of reorganisation and expansion. Figures of first-line strength in 1918 are only available in the case of Great Britain and France. They were approximately as follow:
Great Britain … … 850 France … … 1,650 America … … 1,000–1,100 U.S.S.R … … 1,300–1,500 I should, perhaps, add that in 1918 Great Britain had a larger strength of trained flying personnel and a larger total strength of aircraft (including reserves) than any other country.
Great Britain … … 3,300 France … … 3,600