BRITAIN’S SUPERIORITY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 212, 6 August 1940, Page 7

BRITAIN’S SUPERIORITY

INTENSIFIED AIR HOSTILITIES RESERVES MUST BEAT NAZIS (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph — Copyright.) Received August 6, 10 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 5. An Air Ministry spokesman to-day stated: Since the German air campaign began on June 19 we have , dropped 33,431 bombs'on Germany. The Germans have dropped over 7000 during that period.

In regard to" the comparison of the British and German air losses the Germans in their harassing night attacks during the past seven weeks have been employing anything from 50 to 100 aircraft over widely diverse objectives (states the British Official Wireless). These operations do not, therefore, amount to serious attacks by the German Air Force and they are hot so regarded by the It. A.F. i GERMAN PREPARATIONS.

A high authority stated in London to-dav that in his view Field-Marshal Goering was speaking quite fairly when he said recently that his airmen had as yet done little more , than conduct aerial reconnaissances over England. These operations made small demands upon his available bomber resources and the conclusion to be drawn is that lie is still engaged in bringing his air force up to front-line strength, and is training his crews for bigger operations.

When the German air force launches its attack in force it will be carried out bv aircraft, not 50 or 100 strong, but in several hundreds at a time. There is littlo doubt in air circles in London that the Germans are preparing patiently and with characteristic thoroughness what they hope to be decisive use of the air arm, hut it is probable that they are’ not yet quite ready. _ At the same time it is known that both Germany and Britain are going forward with new types of machines in the effort to establish superiority. With regard to the use to be made of night or daylight operations, there is no doubt that the Germans held the view earlier in the war that daylight operations were necessary to obtain really valuable results in bombing objectives. WHERE BRITAIN LEADS. The superior results achieved by British airmen in their night raids 1 over Germany may be attributed to the very punch superior training in point-to-point navigation by the map and more practice in pight flying, and the fact remains that in a recent period of a month British bombers dropped some 37,000 bombs over Germany and German-occupied territory against the Gorman reply of about 7000.

At the same time, there is no doubt that the black-out contributed largely to British immunity and the small figure of casualties. On the other side of the balancesheet, however, must be reckoned the fact that neither the Germans,nor the British have yet solved fully the problem of night* interception of aircraft. In any night raid a number of aero•planes are sure to get through tho defences, although the British have been more successful in _ preventing the enemy from reaching his objectives than he has been in countering the British attacks. OUR GREAT RESOURCES. Apart from problems of the air tactics which may he employed when the fiitiire of air conflict is eo.nsulered it should he realised that the British fighter strength was recently very substantially increased, and is still being increased. Britain has more reserves and more experienced pilots than ever before, while British production and resources are increasing bv leaps and hounds, and the Germans probably have reached their peak.

The German pilots, however, must be regarded as worthy representatives of their service. Tbe average age of German pilots and crews recently captured is 26 rears, and as far as the evidence goes'the losses have produced no noticeable deterioration m morale. • END OF THE WEEK. BLITZKRIEG AGAINST BRITAIN. LATEST PREDICTION. STOCKHOLM, Aug. 5. The Germans in Norway are forecasting an offensive against England between August 8 and 10. A j r Trondheim which the Ro / a ‘ f 1 Force has badly damped is ben “6 cfrpncrthenccl as 9- noithcri > pore,” with shore batteries and antiin! n£ of soldiers has been intensified during the past fortnight It includes practices by c ou fc innm from crags to the sea, swim one to transports, embark by special gangways. and then jump from[ the deck and , return to the s ' lor 6CS arc 10 ties among these men and homes arc iv per cent. * BRITAIN’S NEW ’PLANES. (From Daventry.) cd.pp T„n e 17 the Germans have lost 370 machines, British losses having '’n„ 0,, ,'iJ 7 o( Britain's yraft pro ; dnotion is now neck and nc v of Germany.