ALLIED AIR SUPREMACY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 78, 26 November 1943, Page 3

ALLIED AIR SUPREMACY

STUPENDOUS GERMAN LOSSES London, Nov. 23. “The Luftwaffe has now neither the number nor equality of planes or crews to regain air supremacy over the Allies, and its position is further deteriorating,” declares Lieutenant-Colonel Zhdanov in an article in the “Red Star,” the Russian Army newspaper. “The air fighting this year has shown our supremacy in the east and the British and American supremacy in the west. This change has been brought about by the stupendous losses inflicted on the Luftwaffe on the eastern front and the destruction by our allies of production centres in Germany. “The Red Army has put out of action 14,000 planes in the past 12 months, including 10,000 in the summer campaign. The Allies* systematic raids against the German industrial centres have lowered the production capacity of the German factories, which cannot now replace the German losses on all the fronts. “Between 25,000 and 30.000 German pilots and navigators have been killed in Russia, and their replacement is next to impossible. Boys aged 15 are being urged to enter the flying schools in Germany, but when they enter the fighting they prove inexperienced and easj game for the toughened and growing Soviet Air Force. We have put into action this year several new-model fighters, including the Yak 11, and also bombers. “The Luftwaffe in Russia is not merely on the defensive; it is chained to the battlefield and practically limited to supporting the ground troops'. It is incapable any longer of carrying out offensive operations along a wide front or of bombing objectives in the Russian defences. The Germans no longer have the highly-organised and equipped bases that are needed for the winter operations.”