[Leica] For airplane fans- Spitfires, Hurricane and Mustang

[marcsmall at comcast.net (Marc James Small)]

At 02:58 AM 9/11/2007, G Hopkinson wrote:

 >Link for you in case you haven't seen it
 ><http://www.defence.gov.au/Raaf/history/>
 >"The duration of World War II saw 15,746 RAAF pilots, navigators,
 >wireless operators, gunners and engineers sent to British
 >squadrons and 11,641 to Australian squadrons.....
 >When the armistice with Japan was signed on 15 August 1945, the RAAF
 >in the Pacific had a total strength of 131,662 personnel and
 >3,187 front line aircraft. First Tactical Air Force, the major
 >operational formation, had grown to 18,894 men in April 1945 and
 >operated 20 operational squadrons".
 >
 >At that time The RAAF was actually the world's the world's 4th largest
 >Air Force. Rather smaller establishment these days.

Hoppy

In 1945, the Australians had the world's 
fourth-largest air force (after the US, UK, and 
USSR) while Canada had the world's third-largest 
navy (after the US and UK).  How times have 
changed!  The Swiss Navy is now larger than the 
RN and three duckhunters in a paddleboat could 
probably sink the entire Canadian Navy.

Marc


msmall@aya.yale.edu
Cha robh b?s fir gun ghr?s fir!