FACING AIR DEBACLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 5 July 1943, Page 5

FACING AIR DEBACLE

ESTIMATES OF GERMANY’S STRENGTH London, July 4. Germany is facing an air debacle, says the “Sunday Times” air correspondent. “We have reasonable cause to hope that by the end of the summer the Luftwaffe will be down and <\it.” The paper adds: “In addition to the fact that bombing has begun to unbalance the German war machine, German wastage of aircraft on all fronts during June exceeded the take-in of new aircraft to the Luftwaffe by a small but vital margin. “The German Air Force is in real and imminent danger of extinction. When the immediate reserve is used up the final debacle is certain to be swift.”

The correspondent estimates that Luftwaffe losses during June were about 20 more aircraft than the total production of operational types by Germany and enslaved countries. On the other hand the Aides’ production exceeded wastage by over 3000 aircraft, which compares with the Luftwaffe’s deficit of 200. The Allies are building in Britain, America, the Dominions and Russia over 8500 combat aircraft monthly from a total of some 12,000 aircraft of all sorts. The Axis powers, including Japan and enslaved countries, are building not more than 3200 operational aircraft monthly from a total of around 4000. —P.A. Special Correspondent.