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construction for the National Maritime Board. Moreover we
look to the industrial energy of the Republic for a reinforcement
of our domestic capacity to manufacture combat aircraft. Without
that reinforcement reaching us in a substantial measure, we shall
not achieve the massive preponderance in the air on which we
must rely to loosen and disintegrate the German grip on Europe.
The development of the Air Forces of the Empire provides for
a total of nearly 7000 combat aircraft in the fighting squadrons
by the spring of 1942, backed by about an equal number in the
tralnlng units. But it is abundantly clear that this programme
will not suffice to give us the weighty cuperiorlty which will
force open the doors of victory. In order to achieve such superiority
it is plain that shall need the greatest production of aircraft
which United States of America are capable of sending us. It
is our anxious hope that in the teeth of continuing bombardment
we shall realize the greater part of production which we have
planned In this country. But not even with the addition to our
squadrons of tho aircraft which under present arrangements,