Aspects of Production: Some of the Wider Questions that have to be Considered

NOTHING at the Paris Aero Show contradicted the impression that had been gaining ground for some time that aeroplane design is almost at stagnation point. Practically no new aeroplanes were to be seen, even those that appeared to be so being really developments of experimental machines that had already been seen months ago. Not only in England, but it appears in other countries as well, everyone has settled down for the time being to produce as many as possible of types of machines that have been in existence for some time. The Royal Air Force types shown by the Air Ministry are all at least three or four years old in design, and prototypes of them were flying two or three years ago. We doubt if any air force in the world has at present in production any machines that are newer; a belief that receives confirmation from the fact that they are not yet outclassed by any of their rivals.