RUSSIAN AIR FORCE

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1940, Page 7

RUSSIAN AIR FORCE

WEAKNESS REVEALED.

LONDON. February 6

As the Russo-Finnish war has proceeded, so has one Russian myth ;■ crumbled after another. The latest | information reveals that the much- y vaunted Russian Air Force is more than half obsolete, or obsolescent, and that unless aircraft are brought from foreign countries, the whole of her aircraft will be obsolete in two year-.. Although actual figures are not / available, the Russian front, line force ? totals between 4000 and 5000 aircraft, but bomber transport, military and naval aircraft are oosoiete, and the : fighters and medium bombers may j 1 considered obsolescent. | The Russian S.B. bomber, of which ■ so much has been heard, has a maximum speed of only 250 m.p.h.. a load of 11001 b, and a range of 620 miles, although it is similar in design to the British Blenheim, which a maximum speed of 285 m.p.h. The TSKB 26, a long-range medium y bomber, has a speed of 245 m.p.h., a ! bomb load of 33001 b, and a. range ox j 12S0 miles, while the I IS, a smgffi seater lighter, has a top speed of only ! 240 to 250 m.p.h., and that only win,: 1 the aircraft is comparatively new. Reserves are generally estimated at only 30 per cent, of the first-1 me strength, due partly to increased wastage and to reduction of output in ■ the factories in the last three years, caused by inefficiency and the results of the purge. Russian output, as far as army aircraft is concerned, is 50JO n fuselages annually and 15,000 engines. ; PROOF OF INEFFECTIVENESS. It is not believed that output can y be increased in the event of emergency, for Russia h«3 always re.iea 1 on foreign designs for her new types; I her own designs, both of aircraft and engines, have not been succssful. S.le h has no modern types in construction | to replace her first-line machines. "J Until recently the United States sup- j pked Russia with most of her designs, but, in view of the. altered feeling i.i America, this is unlikely to continue, Hi; Proof of the Soviet's poor in the air, in comparison with its vaunted strength*, has been clear .y in- V, dicated in the campaign against the - z | Finns. So far the Russians have lost ;W 250 aircraft, of which 59 have been brought down by anti-aircraft live. The remainder have been for by the small but efficient Finnish Air Force. The Finns have lost .only 15. ■'s

There are four main reasons for th? V ineffectiveness of the Soviet Air Force A against the Finns. The High- Com- a mand has shown inability to plan (hoW campaign, there has be.n a shortage of trained pilots, especiavy for night 1 flying, weather conditions have bem . 4 bad, and the Soviet aircraft have beo.i inferior in quality. • i

The Finnish Air Force, in compare . : son with the Russian, was bnc a pigmy. Until recently it had only 69 $ fighters, a number of reconnaissance U aircraft, and a few bombers. p.j