Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1942. REFRESHING CANDOUR.

Greymouth Evening Star, 21 October 1942, Page 4

Greymouth Evening Star. WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 21, 1942. REFRESHING CANDOUR.

MO other avenue of war activities has had so much publicity as aerial operations, yet after three years, it is doubtful if the general public know much moie about, the subject than they did when the war started. Experts still indulge in controversy as to whether the plane has made the warship of secondary importance if not obsolete. Some enthusiasts declare that the conduct of the war may be safely left to the airmen, whilst others insist that land troops count most. Official com-

muniques concerning aerial operations are not regarded as satisfactory, partly for what they conceal as well as for excessive claims and the tendency to “blab.” The only thing certain is the heroism and skill of the airmen, and the increasing improvement in the size, range, and power of aircraft.

Even in this latter matter, more has been claimed than was warranted, hopes sometimes being presented as facts. In this connection, it. is refreshing to have an official report candid regarding defects as well as achievements, and if this policy of letting the people know what they have the right to know, is continued, the'U.S.A. Office of War Information will be the first to justify its title. It is not enough to avoid deliberate untruths; misleading inferences are nearly as bad. It cannot be claimed that British sources of information, official and semi-official, have been free from blame in this direction, and from the Commons downwards, appeals have been made for less duplicity and more candour. The Ministry of Information is unrepentant, and Service communiques are framed as before. The U.S.A, public, apparently, share the “fog and confusion” regarding aerial developments, and the Office of War Information, is doing its best to make the position better understood. “Soothing syrup” was not dealt out in the lengthy initial report, but on the contrary, the American people were bluntly told that battles may be lost and heavy defeats suffered. The inferiority of certain types of planes was stressed, as well as the superiorities of other types. Happily, the balance is in favour of the Allies against the Axis. Some American experts predict that Germany will have unpleasant surprises in store, but similar prophets have proved wrong before. There is no need to accept all what is said or written of Axis aerial resources, nor to believe the Germans are accepting passively the R.A.E. attacks from choice and not through inability to reply effectively, at present. If the enemy has something in reserve, so too have U.S.A, and Britain, only more so.

What a tremendous business aerial war

fare has become is seen in a recent statement by Capt. Riekenbacker, one of U.S.A.’s chief pilots. He said: “The United States still isn’t training enough pilots and mechanics. We’ve got to think in terms of 300,000 pilots and 3,000,000 to 5.000,000 mechanics by the end of 1943. When I say 300,000 pilots I mean pilots alone, not navigators, radio-men and gunners. Actually you should have three crews for each ’plane. Then there must be an average of at least 10 men on the ground for each ’plane flying. Tt should be possible to keep every plane operating an average of 10 hours a day, and able to go on missions six nights a week. With proper organisation you should be able to send 1,000 planes over Germany each night, and you must have an equal number in reserve.” He added that a lack of adequate maintenance and servicing, spares and supplies, was a factor in Britain’s inability to keep 1,000 bomber raids going night after night.