Flew 100,000,000 Miles, 2,000,000 Tons Of Cargo

Northern Advocate, 30 July 1949, Page 8

Flew 100,000,000 Miles, 2,000,000 Tons Of Cargo

BERLIN AIRLIFT , . .

BERLIN, Fri. (11 a.m.).—The Berlin airlift has been in existence for 389 days and planes have flown more than 100,000,000 miles and carried more than 2,000,000 tons of cargo.

The British and United States authorities announced today that the Berlin airlift would be reduced m stages, beginning on August 1. Both air forces however, would be prepared if necessary, to resume the airlift at any time. TRANSPORT, STOCKS The authorities added that the decision to end the airlift was prompted by Western Berlin’s favourable supply position and the reopening of rail, road and canal links between the western * sectors of Berlin and supply bases in the western zones of Germany. A reduced force of airlift planes would remain at German bases.^ The announcement said: “Stocks of essential commodities are now considered to be adequate in Berlin, and will shortly reach the maximum practicable, from the point of view of storage and finance. Rail, barge and road carriage capacity will be sufficient to meet Berlin’s needs. The airlift started on June 28, 1948,

when two Flying Fortresses, carrying emergency supplies, landed at Berlin. A week previously, the Russians, in an attempt to force the Western Powers out of the city, had cut off rail and canal links between Berlin and the Western zones. Their attempt was beaten by the airlift. From two fortresses, the airlift fleet expanded to 380 planes which roared into Berlin day and night in clear weather and foul. The lift tonnage finally reached an average of more than 8000 tons daily.

On Good Friday this year, airmen flew a record total of 12,940 tons of food and coal into the city.