TWENTY CITIES CRIPPLED

Grey River Argus, 15 January 1944, Page 5

TWENTY CITIES CRIPPLED

BY RAIDS ON GERMANY

50 More “Well on the Way”

[Aust. & N.Z. Press Assn.] (Rec. 7.35) LONDON, Jan. 13. Admiral Spaatz, the U.S. Air Commander, speaking by; radio to a luncheon of news agency editors in Washington, said: “Berlin is already the poorest snecimen of what a capital should be. How much more it is going to get depends on what success we have in placing our concentrations, as well as their size. The number of other cities in Germany to be knocked out this winter will depend on the weather, and the number of planes we get to battle. Pathfinder technique will get still better, and .bombs still more effective. Ot ninety German industrial cities, about twenty of the biggest have been crippled for a long period The crippling of fifty others is well .on the way. Comparing United States and Gei*man pilots General Spaatz said: “The latest German fighters are superior to any that we have encountered heretofore. A small percentage of them are of a new dsign. If it were not for constant technical improvement on our planes, and improved tactics on the part .of our pilots, the German developments could become serious. There still are many good German fighter •'nilqts. but the quality generally is declining. They are very definitely inferior to ours. United States planes generally are better than the German planes. We are ahead in design and production. Our pilots in combat are maintaining an advantage of four to one. General Spaatz referred to the new rocket planes. He said: “The Germans have been able to achieve a certain temporary success, but only when these planes are used against formations of bombers which could not be escorted by fighters all of the way to distant targets. The Germans hoped to break up our large formations, and scatter our concentrated firepower. Thev have not been able to do so. Ido not believe that the rocket planes are as effective as the Germans hoped.” Asked whether air warfare alone would knock Germany nut of the .war, General Spaatz said: “We did not set out to win by air warfare alone. Let us get the maximum number of bombers on the offensive as soon as possible. That is of the utmost importance. But, however it comes, we shall still want the Army.”

Tuesday’s Air Battle LONDON. Jan. 13. The Americans have already replaced the planes and air crews lost in the great air battle over Germany on Tuesday, says the “Evening Standard’s” correspondent with the United States forces. The great replacement depots arranged replacements within 24 hours. . , The United States Army official newspaper, “Stars and Stripes” announced that the delay in assessing the results was due to fog which unexpectedly settled over the airfields before ’the raiders returned home. Many bombers had to be diverted to distant airfields and it is believed that some at present listed as missing may have landed safely in more isolated parts of Britain. There were 152 German fighters shot down in' central Germany on Tuesday. American bombers destroyed 125 and Allied fighters 27. The fighters which are not yet complete do not include a large number shot down by bombers which failed to return. ‘ , , , • The total American bomber loss is now 60. . . , In Tuesday’s American air attacks the Halverstadt plant, where wings are constructed for Germany’s newest twin-engined bombers carrying radio-controlled glider bombs, was “very heavily damaged” said Mr Stimson, United States Secretary for War. The United States losses were “relatively big,” but the damage to German ’ fighter production was worth it. At Oscherslenben the attack struck the most important centre of Focke Wulf construction, representing .about half the total production of this type of fighter Every building but one was probably destroyed at the Messerschmitt HO plant at Brunswick.

German Air Mines USED AGAINST AMERICANS. (Rec. 1 a.m.) LONDON, Jan. 14. ' The German radio says; Trailing bombs were used for the first time by German air defence against American bombers on Tuesday. These balloon bombs, or air mines, as the German experts call (them, were towed, by fighter planes through the. attacking e'lVprhy formations, and were released from tow ropes at the most suitable moment, and with devastating effect. Enemy bombers were either caught in the tow ropes, or got within range of the terrific blast of the exploding mines, thus making them an easy prey for the German fighters. Berlin radio has announced a new type of German fighter plane fitted with special armour underneath, protecting it from attack from below.