Evening Republican, Volume 22, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 3 March 1919 — BRITAIN HAS 23,300 PLANES [ARTICLE]

BRITAIN HAS 23,300 PLANES

Started in the War With Only 210 Machines —Pre-eminent at Its Close. London. —Great Britain was preeminent in the air at the close of the war. when the British air force was the largest in tharworld, according to a report made - public recently. It fought on more fronts than „the air service of any other nation, and its successes were proportionately greater, it is said. In August, 1914, the British naval and military air services together mustered only 285 officers and 1,853 men of other ranks. In November, 1918. there were 30,000 officers and 264,000 men. At the outbreak of the war Great Britain had 166 airplanes, 45 seaplanes and 7 airships, while at the close of hostilities she had 21,000 airplanes, 1,300 seaplanes and 103 airships. Besides this there were 25,000 airplanes and seaplanes being built and 55.000 airplane engines under contract. The women’s royal air force, which was not in existence in 1914, numbered at the close of hostilities 23,500.