GERMAN AIRFORCE

Hokitika Guardian, 20 May 1940, Page 8

GERMAN AIRFORCE

Insufficient instructors. LONDON, May 1... British, official estimates of. the strength of the German Air Force, its reserves, and the output/of the German aircraft industry, are not divulged, says Major C. C. Turner, in the “Daily telegraph.” An officer of the. Royal Air Force who has to make a.special study of the force spoke respectfully, however, at a conference the other day of its size and morale, but he believed that a current American estimate of German aircraft production at 2000 a month was an exaggeration. , .„ . ; German pilots . are.: not conscripts. Only a small qliota of conscripts goes to. the, force for noil-technical ditties. There has been no dearth of volunteers, and their, spirit is believed to be very good. Tfi,e force h'as great faith in itself, and in Hitler. It has been brought up to believe that the Royal Air Force is contemptible,,bitt it is probably not so tough as the German Air Force in the last war. ... ■ -Uv. ■ One of the best features of its organisation is the mobility of the geschwaders, or groups of about 40 aircraft each, which can change quarters at a moment’s, notice to one. or hundreds of. aerodromes not in regular use, but '■fully equipped and manned. By comparison with thq British or the French Air Force, the German Air Force is a mushroom growth, and still suffers from an insufficient supply, of seasoned instructors. Training k before the war did not envisage attacks on shipping or independent action on a big scale. Air fighting at night also was neglected. Its distribution places main fighter and operational units generally west of a line drawn from Denmar* *,O Switzerland. Training centres are east of that line. Along the Baltic coast ate the bombing training ranges. Only a small portion of the force has so far been used. Captured German aircraft show that the materials used in their construction ate good. It is, however, believed that the Germans cannot now adopt a power-operated gun turret similar to that of the Royal Air Force. German standard types are unsuited for it, and would have to be redesigned.

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