PARALYSING AIR BLOWS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 144, 15 December 1942, Page 5

PARALYSING AIR BLOWS

PROSPECT FOR THE

ENEMY

NEW YORK, December 13. Addressing graduates of four flying training schools, the Chief of the United States Army Air Forces, General Arnold, said: "We have a secret aerial weapon or two up our sleeves that will deal paralysing blows against our enemies. Entirely new battle wagons are on the way, and the Flying Fortresses and Liberators are the last of the 'small bombers.' We will soon put on a special demonstration for Hitler and Hirohito. I do not think they are going to like it. "The present .50 calibre machineguns, terrific weapons of aerial destruction, are one of the outstanding successes of the war, but will seem like pea-shooters compared with the firepower we are putting in the new ships. New developments in cameras and photographic technique have resulted in increasingly effective photographic reconnaissance Our pursuit planes can take good pictures at 300 miles an hour and 30,000 feet, showing up individual railway lines. "The present plane production is more than 4000 a month, which exceeds the combined Italian and German output. The expansion programme will double this 4000. I tell you that the German and Japanese air forces are going on the down grade. They have passed their peak; we are just approaching ours, in aeroplane production, combat, and crew training. We must not rest on our laurels and think smugly that all is well. We know it will not be long before the Germans come out with an answer to the Flying Fortresses. We must be ready when it comes. Flying Fortresses have shot down the best-known German fighters, including FWl9o's. VICTIMS OF ARMY FLYERS. ''So far army flyers have sunk 51 ships and are believed to have sunk 21 more. They have hit and damaged 159. ranging from battleships and destroyers, to tankers, freighters, and i troop-carriers. From February 1' to D„ ceJf" ber 15 they have destroyed 928 enemy planes and probably destroyed 276, with the loss of 130, plus ,104 missing. Heavy bombers have made 1063 sorties over Europe They have lost 32 and have shot down 29^3, probably destroyed 150, and damaged 192. Today we have bombers and fighters working in eight combat zones. Every day sees the numbers increase, and striking power is being built up.

"Within a few months the Italians and the Germans will be feeling the impact of hundreds of planes dropping bombs not on one or two nights a week, but every day and night. "Recently bombers attacked Japanese anti-aircraft positions, roaring in at an altitude of 75 feet, and dropping parachute bombs with deadly effect. Parachute bombs are terrifying things They take more time to hit the ground, bu'i all the fragments are thrown into the air when they burst. Our planes arc: able to drop them with pin-point accuracy and get away in good time before the explosion. We are the first air force to develop the use of them."