ATTACK ON PORT MORESBY

Press, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 23642, 20 May 1942, Page 5

ATTACK ON PORT MORESBY

HEAVY JAPANESE RAID MINOR DAMAGE TO RUNWAYS (Received May 19, 11 p.m.) (N.Z.P.A.) LONDON, May 19. A communique from Allied Headquarters in Australia says that 34 Japanese heavy bombers escorted by 15 fighters raided the aerodrome at Port Moresby again to-day. The raid had practically no effect, and only minor damage to runways was caused. One enemy bomber was shot down and three others were probably destroyed. Three fighters were damaged, and one Allied fighter is missing. . The Japanese raid was the heaviest on any Allied base since February 19. While the enemy was raiding Port Moresby Allied aircraft attacked the island of Timor. They scored direct hits on two enemy transports in Koepang Bay, probably sinking both. It is estimated that the Royal Australian Air Force has now destroyed 180 enemy aircraft, and probably damaged another 100. 60,000 PLANES, IN 1942 PRODUCTION GOAL FOR U.S. (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 18. Recorded developments in American aircraft production show how Mr Roosevelt’s goal of 60,000 machines in 1942 is being carried out. Production exceeded 20Q0.in October, and by the end of December, ,5000 engines monthly were coming off the assembly lines. Floor space in factories then occupied 45,000,000 square feet, compared with 9,500,000 in 1939. It is being increased to 80,000,000 this year. Whereas 194,000 workers were employed in January, 1941, there were 326,000 in December. By . this autumn the number is expected ta exceed 700,000. The output in 1942 is expected to be double last year’s in value. American officials stated in December that the output of engines surpassed'Germany’s and the production aircraft • would exceed Germany’s in the early spring of 1942. This point has now been left behind. A speaker in the House of Representatives said recently that the United States Was producing 33,000 aircraft monthly. Tliese figures are Seen in London in the light of Mr Churchill’s recent statement that this year the British and American, bomber offensive against Germany will be one of the principal features of the war.. It is pointed out that the . devastating raids already carried out have been the work of the Royal Air Force alone; CONFERENCE ON AIR TRAINING UNITED NATIONS AT OTTAWA (Received May 19, 8 p.m.) v OTTAWA, May 18. The preliminary session of the United Nations Air Training Conference to-day was attended by representatives of 14 countries, 'including Free France. The Canadian Air Minister (Mr C. G. Power) told the press that one of the primary efforts Of the conference would be the standardisation of air training technique. Mr Power added that Canada was ready to put its training facilities at' the disposal of any member of the United Nations desiring to use them. / The Prime Minister, Mr Mackenzie King, will formally open the conference to-morrow at a session of the Senate and House of Commons. U.S. ARMAMENT PRODUCTION (Received May 19, 6 p.m.) WASHINGTON, May 18. Lieutenant-General Somervell, chief of the United States Services Supply, in a speech at commemoration ceremonies of the Army ordnance district system, said that 700,0 industrial firms and many times that number of individual plants were turning out ordnance and had given rousing answers to Hitler’s boast that 'the free people could hot produce. He said; “Let us see new production goals and attain them. We do not intend to fight this war to a stalemate. We intend to win it.” ECONOMIC DEFENCE BOARD (8.0. W.) RUGBY, May 18. A message from Washington states that high United States Government officials are studying a plan to create an overall United Nations’ economic defence board to mobilise the resources of all the United Nations, to reinforce the decisions of the supreme military commands, and to decide whether to use factories in the United States and ship the finished products, or build new plants abroad in order to avoid a shipping bottleneck.