HC Deb 26 July 1939 vol 230 cc1594-5W
Mr. DAY

asked the Under Secretary for Air the number of machines that took part in the recent air pageant at Hendon and the number of all ranks, including pilots, mechanics, and groundsmen, who were employed in this pageant; whether he has any statistics that will show the number of gallons of spirit and oil used either in the rehearsal preparations or the actual display, including the amount of oil and spirit used by the aeroplanes from their own stations to Hendon and back; and the number of machines that were damaged or put out of action during the practice for this pageant and the number of men, if any, who were injured during the rehearsals?

Mr. MONTAGUE

The Royal Air Force display is the culmination of the year's training, and it is impossible to isolate practice for the display from other flying. The total number of personnel employed in the display at Hendon was 340 officers and 1,679 airman, and the number of aircraft was 171. The consumption of petrol and oil at the display, including journeys to and from Hendon, was 9,800 gallons of petrol and 653 gallons of oil.