AIR DEFENCE EXERCISE

Press, Volume XCIV, Issue 28057, 27 August 1956, Page 6

AIR DEFENCE EXERCISE

HARVARDS INTERCEPT DEVONS TERRITORIAL AIR FORCE OPERATION Fighter aircraft taking part in “Operation Sky watch,” an exercise to test No. 3 Defence Headquarters a unit of the Territorial Air Force, claim to have shot down at least nine- of 12 raiders flying towards Christchurch on Saturday. Air Defence Headquarters located the approaching raiders on its radar, and then directed the defending fighters against them. Upwards of 100 men and women were engaged in the operation, which was directed from Wigram. Three Devons of the Royal New Zealand Air Force played the part of the attackers, and six Harvards were used by the Territorial squadron. The Harvards climbed in pairs to seek out the approaching raiders. Wing Commander J. R. Maling, Air Defence Commander, who was in charge of the exercise, said yesterday that nine of the 12 raiders, which flew towards Christchurch singly, had been successfully intercepted. The best interceptions. he said, had been made 15 to 20 miles out to sea. Wing Commander Maling said it was desired to intercept and destroy an attacker over the sea and well out of range of the target area, as an aircraft carrying a modern bomb could still do a great deal of damage if it was brought down over land. A number of the interceptions during the exercise had been made well out to sea.

Where the interceptions had been delayed, various technical reasons had been responsible, said Wing Commander Maling. Late identification on the radar and delay in getting aircraft into the air were among these. “Definitely Successful” “I would say that the exercise was definitely successful.” said Wing Commander Maling. The success of such an exercise could not be measured just by the interceptions achieved. The main purpose was to exercise the units concerned, and to see that the whole system worked. Lessons were learnt from mistakes. In that respect this operation had been highly successful, and it would be possible to rectify many mistakes.

Women had an important part in the exercise. Practically all the plotting was done by women who are members of No. 3 Air Defence Head,quarters.

Asked how the probable destruction of the raiders had been determined. Wing Commander Maling said that the pilots made sortie reports, they were interrogated by intelligence officers, and they used a cine-gun which gave a film record of their action. These films had not yet been developed, but he said that in the meantime the Harvards claimed to have shot down at least nine of the 12 attacking aircraft.