SOVIET AIR FLEET

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20630, 11 August 1941, Page 7

SOVIET AIR FLEET

ESTIMATED STRENGTH 8000 FIRST-LINE PLANES LONDON, July 31. The great strength of the Russian Air Force is revealed for the first time * by The Aeroplane, authoritative aviation journal. Operation al strength is about 8000 first-line aeroplanes. Total strength is probably 40,000. “The strength of the first-line reserves must declare itself within the next few weeks,” says The Aeroplane. “If the Luftwaffe fails to gain a measure of air mastery before, the beginning of August, the Russian forces will have proved their ability to defeat the blitzkrieg. “The Red air fleet cannot be regarded as of high quality, but it gained much operational experience in Spain and Finland, and has had a year to study the experiences of the war in France and over England. Ground maintenance is probably the weakest point of the organisation.” The Aeroplane gives the approximate numbers of Soviet warplanes on the European front, as follows: — Two thousand 1-16 single-seater fighter monoplanes; 1500 SB-2 twomotor bombers; 1200 R 3, R 5, and RG two-seater reconnaissance biplanes; 300 CK B-26 two-motor bombers; 200 DI-6 two-seater fighter biplanes; 200 1-17 single-seater fighter monoplanes. “Two Russian types appear to have done well in the fighting so far. These are a single-seater fighter, which resembles the Spitfire, and a four-motor bomber. A great six-engiried bomber has also been reported in action . “The fighter is reported to have a top speed of 360 miles an hour, and is armed with eight machine-guns in the wings. In developing it the designer, Polikarpov, undoubtedly studied published information on both the Spitfire and the Messerschmitt 109. The top speed of the four-motor bomber is 274 miles an hour, at 19,000 ft. It has a range of 1240 miles, with 4400 pounds of bombs.” The journal points out that one of the greatest dangers in the German attack is that the enemy might capture some of the larger Russian factories more or less intact, and be able to turn them to production of German aircraft, out of range of R.A.F. bombing.