MIMIC AIR WAR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23594, 2 September 1938, Page 18

MIMIC AIR WAR

NINE HUNDRED AIRCRAFT ENGAGED SPECTACLES OVER LONDON AIR MINISTER “KILLED” ‘From Our Own Correspondent) (By Air Mail), LONDON, Aug. 11. More than 900 aeroplanes were engaged when a three-day mimic war over England was held to demonstrate the air defence efficiency of the country. The manoeuvres were the biggest yet arranged, and. although some time must elapse before the full results are known, it has been concluded that mass attacks in the air against a highly efficient defence force may be more dangerous to the attackers than to the attacked. Half of the aeroplanes were engaged as an attacking force, and half in defence of air stations and strategic points. Many of the attackers were capable of speeds approaching 300 miles an hour. Defending a territory embracing some 200 miles of coast line round the east and south-east of Britain were fighters, bombers, antiaircraft divisions, searchlight units, and the Observer Corps, forces aggregating 35,000 officers and men. Wide stretches of the North Sea were also affected, for somewhere within it lay “Eastland.” an imaginary country from which “Westland” was attacked. Matched against each other were R.A.F. squadrons equipped with modern high-performance monoplanes, including the Battle, Wellesley, Whitley, and Blenheim bombers, while the high proportion of successful interceptions was due to the high speed of the fighters, particularly of the formidable eight-gun Hurricanes. Going into action by night and by day they were able to overtake even the 280 m.p.h. Blenehims —fastest bombers in service in the world. The level speed of the Hurricane is between five and six miles a minute, and when diving its speed may be above 400 miles an hour.

Fighting for the “ Eastland ” enemy were Fairey Battle, Blenheim, Wellesley, Whitley, and Anson bombers, ranging from fast to medium-fast, with short and long range, and capable <f carrying widely-varying loads. The striking force was thus well equipped for all raiding missions. The chief defending aircraft were the Hurricane monoplanes; Gladiator and Gauntlet biplane fighters of outstanding power and agility in aerial combat; the Demon two-seat fighter fitted with power-operated gun turret, and the Fury interceptor biplane. Supporting the defending fighters were large Harrow and Hendon monoplane bombers, and a number of other aircraft detailed to simulate raids issuing from Westland and thereby exercise ground observers in distinguishing friend from foe. Targets attacked included those in London. Tangmcre, Leeds, near Leicester. Wittering, and Swindon. One of the first views which Londoners had of aeroplanes taking part in (he exercises occurred when a formation of three bombers was seen over the West End.

But the best spectacle of all for Londoners occurred shortly afterwards, when 24 high-speed Fairey Battle single-engined bombers swept right across London from east to west and were “ engaged ” by (wo Hawker Hurricane fighters. Most of the bomber flying was done ,n formations of throe each. But at night a lot of work was done by the Ansons flying singly and sometimes darting in to make short, sharp raids on the coast. Some of the most spectacular events, however, occurred in (he low-flying raids on aerodromes when the “enemy” bombers suddenly appeared over the tree tops, through the heat haze, to send the aerodrome into a fever of activity. One raid gained a casualty that in wartime would have been great. The invaders bombed Sir Kingsley Wood, Air Minister, who was accompanied by his Parliamentary Secretary, Sir Edward Campbell, and the Chief of Staff at the Air Ministry. The party were visiting Hornchurch, Essex, R.A.F. field, one of the defence bases, examining the planes, when a thunder from thousands of horse-power roared out. Everyone looked at the sky, trying to spot the bombers. Suddenly they appeared, only a few feet above their heads, below the level of the hangars, streaking along at more than 250 m.p.h. They had evaded the defenders, by flying low over the fields and woods. In wartime neither Sir Kingsley Wood and his staff nor the Hornchurch field would have been in existence two minutes afterwards—nothing but a series of smoking bomb craters where once an airfield had been.

Throughout the three days of the exercise not a single case of mechanical failure was reported among the 900 aeroplanes engaged. Misadventure befell six aircraft in fog thick enough to spell disaster for land or sea vehicles, yet scores of aeroplanes which were still aloft when the fog descended safely found the way home.