HUGE LOSSES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 304, 1 October 1940, Page 5

HUGE LOSSES

IN THE NAZI AIR FORCE. COMPARED WITH BRITISH. PERSONNEL •SUFFER HEAVILY. United Press Association.—Copyright.) (Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, September 30. German losses of aircraft in attacks on Britain vary so greatly from the enormous figures on the days when the Luftwaffe comes over in force, to the smaller figures when only a few enemy aircraft make reconnaissance flights, that periodic totalling is necessary in order to gain an idea of the punishment the' German Air Force is taking from the Royal Air Force. During the week ending at midnight on Saturday, confirmed (German aircraft losses were 222 in battles over Britain, apart from ’planes damaged and believed to be destroyed hut whose loss could not be definitely confirmed by the careful methods of checking of claims employed by the Air Ministry. The Royal Air Force lost 69 ’planes in the' same period, but 37 of the pilots are saved. It is estimated that German crew losses from aeroplanes whoso loss is confirmed alone are not less than 560. EQUAL TO PRODUCTION. ONE EVERY 42 MINUTES. OVER, THE LAST TWO MONTHS. (Received This Day, Id .25 a.m.) LONDON, September 30. , Major Walter Elliott, in a speech said that the Royal Air Force during the last two months had shot down one Gorman plane every 42 minutes, which was the present rate of German production.