London, Feb. 6.
The creation of a "shadow air force" with a number of pilots and planes more than doubling the official figures concerning the British air force, was revealed in well-informed circles here.
The total amount of first-line planes forming the land forces without the planes attached to the Royal Navy was officially given as 1,750 machines. The number of pilots in training, however, is understood to be about 8,000.
The explanation for this discre-poney is given in the existence of "shadow squadrons" of which the pilots are already in training but the planes themselves stored away in an unassembled form.
To each first-line squadron are attached one or two of these "shadow squadrons" which are ready to become first line aircraft at any time, thus assuring the immediate replacement of planes shot down in action in war.
Mechanics and private soldiers are being trained to become flight-officers as soon as hostilities break out.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.