AIR WARFARE

Evening Star, Issue 23724, 4 November 1940, Page 8

AIR WARFARE

GERMANY'S HUGE LOSSES GRADUAL WEAKENING OF EFFORT HEARTENING REVIEW OF POSITION Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright LONDON, November 2. The figures of German air losses show that since August 8, when the first big air battle was fought round the British coasts, fighters, gunners, balloon barrages, and other causes have accounted for 2,433 German bombers, fighterbombers, and fighters destroyed in almost equal numbers, but the most severe blow •which the Fighter Command has dealt to the Luftwaffe has been the loss of trained airmen. Allowing for the usual number of pilots, observers, and air gunners to the various types destroyed, over 6,000 German airmen have been killed or taken prisoner. The Fighter Command has lost only 353 pilots in these engagements.

It is pointed out that the weekly figures reveal a gradual weakening of the German effort, despite continuously' changing tactics. The attacks began oh August 8, when three mass divebombing attacks were made on shipping convoys and harbours. The Germans lost 24 of their famous Junkers 87 divebombers and 36 Messerschmitt 110 and Messerschmitt 109 fighters.

Seven days later 1,000 German bombers and protecting fighters launched their biggest attack in the history of air fighting. At the end of that day the Germans had lost 180 aircraft, and during that week they lost 472 bombers and fighters, which still remains the record for seven days’ fighting. ■ That week their bomber losses were 234 against 162 of their fighters, together with one floatplane and 75 unidentified aircraft. Of those 234 bombers, 161 were dive-bombers—Junkers 87 and 88.

R.A.F. SUPREMACY. From then onwards the Germans changed their tactics, and an.examination of the figures from then until the present shows that the use of the Junker dive-bombers—hitherto claimed to be Germany’s most deadly weapon, but actually mastered by our fighters —has been gradually abandoned. During the second week in September, only two Junkers 87 were shot down, and since then they completely disappeared until yesterday’s raid on the convoys. Even the Junkers 88—the Nazi’s newest type—has been coming over only in small ■numbers, but a more or less complete abandonment of the use of bombers for day raiding did not take jilace until the end of September. On September 7 the Germans opened a blitzkrieg on London and lost 103 machines. On September 15 the Luftwaffe made another and more desperate attempt to crash the Fighter Command defences, but lost 185 aircraft, and the British-'Fighter Command achieved a now record for a single day’s fighting. On September 27 the Germans made one more big effort—their last. They increased the proportion of the fighter escort to four to one, but still they lost 133 aircraft, of which 91 were fighters. CHANGE OF TACTICS. Because of the high cost of this form of air warfare, the Germans decided to change their tactics. Bombers visiting Britain in daytime are now few and far between. In their place the Germans are sending high-flying Messerschiaitt 109 fighters, carrying only a s.mall bomb load. It can confidently be claimed that the British Fighter Command is now defeating this menace. The German losses have been small compared with the old scale of slaughter, but on October 7 our fighters shot down 27 German aircraft, of which 21 were Messersohmitts, and on Tuesday last 33 were destroyed. Even by sneaking across the coast at a great height—usually five or six miles—under cover of cloud, only one or two during the day beat the guns and fighters and reached London.

N.Z. AIRMEN KILLED TWD PRISONERS OF WAR [Pek United Press Association.] WELLINGTON, November 4. Air casualties are announced as follows : Pilot-officer Jack Milton Cave, killed in air operations. Father: Mr M. K. Cave, of Tirau, on the 'Rotorua line. Sergeant Arthur Fraser Dallas, E.N.Z.A.F., killed in air operations. Mother; Mrs Sid. Dallas, Hunterville. Sergeant Douglas Lawrence Burton, R.N.Z.A.F.,, previously reported missing, now reported by the International Red Cross to be a prisoner of war and wounded in hospital. Father: Mr J. L. Burton, of Domett street, Opunake. Pilot-officer Maurice George Baird, previously reported missing, now reported by the International Red Cross to be a prisoner of war and uninjured. Father: William Baird, 14 Morris street, Napier.