Coll 5/69 ‘Afghanistan: Visit of the A.O.C-in-Chief, India to Kabul in 1939’ [‎4r] (7/48)

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Your Excelrsncy,
On your instructions, I procee|ied|^-^^buli m
company with Sir John Ewart; and, after a delay" oi'" one day,
owing to bad weather, arrived there at 10.30 (Afghan time)
on the morning of 26th August. We were received formally
by the Afghan Air Force and, after a short delay, drove
straight to the Legation. Here we had a short conversation
with the Minister, who is laid up with phlebitis and unable
to leave his bed. He is otherwise able to transact business.
2:. My programme consisted of a talc at 11.30 with
Ihsan, the Commandant of the Afghan Air Force, an d an inter
view with the Prime Minister at 1600 hours.
3 0 A 'he meeting with Ihsan was attended by Flying
u >3
Officer Burt-Andrej*, and the talk covered a wide field.
In addition to certain immediate necessities which Ihsan was
anxious should be provided by India, and an increase in
training commitments, he produced a H Three years* plan” for
the creation of en air force of three fighter, three bomber
and three reconnaissance squadrons, backed up by an embryo
aircraft industry, ne realised that meant a formidable
effort on the part of Afghanistan, and hinted that he would
require a great deal of help from us. he complained of the
lack of training in the existing air force and of a serious
shortage of efficient personnel. His principal requests
from us were:-
(a) training for 70 airmen;
(b) 24 new aircraft, possibly Hawker Henley type;
and (c ) a lay-out for an aircraft factory An East India Company trading post. capable of the
manufacture of airframes in wood and metal, but not
of engines. These would continue to be bought
abroad.
/I replied
- JL v, 3URE IN INDIA
l ' 0fiEIQN SECRETARY'S LETTER
n ° r _QATE RECEIVED
/ -’ 9 17-10-.I939