1943 AIR WAR

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24149, 7 January 1944, Page 3

1943 AIR WAR

GERMANY’S FIGHTER PRODUCTION

STRENGTH RESERVED FOR MAIN EFFORT (8.0. W.) RUGBY. Jan. 5. The German inaction against the recent fierce onslaughts on northern France is due to two reasons, said a Royal Air Force commentator. The first is that the Germans are conserving their fighter strength to deal with the Allied forces when they make deeper penetrations to more vital targets. Second, they are endeavouring to build up a reserve for the prolonged battles on the second front; but they are as determined as ever to protect Germany itself. This is shown by the ferocious opposition of German fighters to the large-scale bombing attacks. This intention is made still more clear by the fact that Germany now has 1000 more fighters in the front line than in 1942—“ a very remarkable achievement.”

This was partly the result of their policy of conservation, which began in 1942, when they went over to a defensive strategy and began to build up their fighter strength. • The work was hampered by the Royal Air Force raids on factories, which cost the enemy a great part of the intended production. In spite of this, the actual size of the Luftwaffe was increased during 1943, showing the extent of the German efforts.

But, in building a fighter force, the Germans weakened their bomber strength, which has been on the down grade for some time. In addition to this, the Germans used Ju 55’s and other heavy aircraft for transport work in Russia, Tunisia, and Sicily, and lost a considerable number thereby. The crews of these aircraft could have been used to train bomber crews, and their absence had a considerable effect on the strength of the present-day bomber personnel, who are below the 1941 standard. These factors have crippled the fighting strength of their bomber force. Furthermore, 1943 was not a fruitful year for bomber production. The Germans are now beginning to turn out four-engined heavy bombers, which they never previously possessed, but their Heinkel 177 is still not a satisfactory aircraft. On the other hand, the Royal Air Force in 1943 dropped 136.000 tons of bombs on Germany, compared with the 65,000 tons which the, Luftwaffe has dropped on Britain since the war began, and with the 2400 tons dropped on Britain in 1943. The Coastal Command has also made 4p,000 sorties in 1943, compared with 30.000 in 1942. The aircraft casualties in the Coastal Command have been less in 1943 than before and, although confronted with new weapons, new tactics, and stronger U-boat armament, it sank more submarines in 1943 than during the three previous years combined.

Fighter Command also increased the number of its attacks on shipping in 1943, attacked three times as many ships as ever before, and sank three times as many. Fighter Command in 1943 made 160,000 sorties, of which 90,000 were offensive. In the Mediterranean the air command in 1943 dropped 110,000 tons of bombs, made 350,000 sorties at a casualty rate of less than 1 per cent., destroyed between 3500 and 4000 aircraft, and attacked 1000 ships, of which 250 were destroyed.