September 2024 | Issue 770 | Page(s) 36 - 42 | François Prins
On 19 July 1934, British Prime Minister Stanley Baldwin announced in the House of Commons the first of a series of measures to re-arm Britain and expand the Royal Air Force (RAF), which was in urgent need of modernisation. After World War One financial restraints meant Britain had to curb expenditure on its armed forces and the newly-born (1918) RAF had been affected more than either the Royal Navy or the Army. One of the objectives of the new proposed Expansion Programme was to redress this and increase military aircraft production.
