RED AIR FLEET RAIDS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 64, 12 September 1942, Page 7

RED AIR FLEET RAIDS

MUCH DAMAGE IK BUDAPEST

LONDON, September H. The Bed air fleet's night offensive against, eastern Germany and Hungary is under the command of LieutenantGen eral Golovanov. The "Daily Ex press" says that General Golovanov leads a new section of the Red Air I«\>rce corresponding to the British Bomber Command. The Russians fly enormous distances to their German targets—about double the average distance the R.A.F. covers in raiding Germany.

This requires bombers of extraordinary petrol-carrying and other long range qualities. The Russians are using their biggest bomber, which has a maximum bomb load of 80001b and carries 45001b for 2500 miles. Its top speed is about 280 miles an hour. It is powerfully armed. The Zurich correspondent of the "Daily Telegraph" says that the bombing of Budapest and the Hungarian provinces on September 4 and 9 did great damage and deeply impressed the people. Previously they seemed unable to grasp the fact that anyone dare bomb Hungary. It is apparent from leading articles in Hungarian newspapers that they were living in a wonderland in which they believed they could war against others without others striking back. This dream world has now been shattered. Wednesday night's attack lasted for four hours. Answering an official statement from Budapest that the Russian bomßers caused only minor damage in Budapest on Wednesday night, the Hun garian freedom radio says very heavy damage was done. "The Russians dropped hieh-explosive bombs of the heaviest calibre and also thousands of incendiaries," it said. "They set fire to chemical works, damaged a bridge across the Danube, and also attacked shipping on the Danube. Budapest s poor anti-aircraft defences could not cope with the situation. Many people iwere killed in the streets because of the lack of raid shelters. Budapest toiay is smoking."