MOCK AIR WAR.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20586, 8 December 1928, Page 11

MOCK AIR WAR.

HUNDREDS “KILLED” IN PARIS. The gigantic air manoeuvres, the largest ever held in Europe, were concluded recently by the French Air Force with the Parisians still in doubt whether their beloved Paris had suffered the same fate from the “ enemy ” planes as did London. In the recent British air manoeuvres the British capital was “wiped out” by the 11 invading” forces , with an ease which caused much uneasiness to all concerned. Nearly 400 of ..the finest army planes and 2000 picked men carried on an almost continuous battle for two days, upon the issue of which depended the “ fate ” of Paris. High British air officials, including Sir Samuel Hoare, Minister for Air, were offical witnesses, as also were the air attaches of other Powers. Although the strategists have not disclosed the results of the two-day “ conflict,” it is known that the attacking bombers broke through the Paris defences repeatedly, inflicting great damage on the : city and “killing ’’ hundreds of civilians. Another lesson learned is that an attacking force of bombing airplanes will get through a defence line of fighters nine times out of 10 and will succeed in dropping bombs on their objectives. As in the case of the recent British sham warfare, the “ enemy bombers ” were found to bo as swift as the defenders, and theoretically they inflicted great losses on the opposing troops, 1000 of whom participated in the action. The provision of newer and swifter pursuit squadrons for France appears to be an urgent need revealed by the manoeuvres. The final day of the manoeuvres was marred by a fatal accident when a military plane from the Villacoublay Field crashed on to another plane preparing for a flight. Mechanician Albert Scorbry, who was in the plane about to take off, wao almost instantly killed, while the pilot and mechanician of the other plane was injured.