NAZI AIR MYTH

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24221, 13 February 1940, Page 10

NAZI AIR MYTH

FORCE OF 30,000 PLANES AN EMPTY BOAST ALLIES' ADVANTAGES

Germany’s claim that she will be able to send 30,000 aircraft into the skies for attacks on Britain in the coming spring in the northern hemisphere is moonshine, put out by her Propaganda Ministry to make you shiver. Under examination, says the air. correspondent of the News of the World, the claim is quickly seen to be boastful and empty.

During the last war Britain built 50,000 aeroplanes in four years and a-half. Germany did not construct as many, for our naval blockade caused a shortage of materials, which ultimately gave us command of the air and materially aided our victory. Following the war, and until Hitler came into power in 1933, Germany did not possess any warplanes. Under the Nazis she set about building a new air force. First task in any scheme of air expansion is the provision of training machines. Without these and succeeding types of planes of various speeds on which pilots may acquire skill for handling high-speed warplapes, all plans for bomber fleets remain just visions.

Throughout 1934, 1935, and 1936 Germany had to build thousands of training aircraft on which the members of her new “ Luftwaffe ” could acquire skill. At the same time, she designed bombers based on the JU 52 model air-liner —twin and three-engined all-metal Junker liners as used on the Berlin-Croydon service. They could not fly at more than 150 m.p.h. Out-of-Date Bombers Many of this type were used in the recent Polish campaign. Every one not shot down in Poland would be absolutely useless in warfare against a first-class Power possessing fighters capable of over 350 m.p.h., so they can be written off as obsolete. Until 1938, when the early Messerschmitts made their appearance, Germany did not possess a singleseater fighter of worth-while speed. She has been building this type in large numbers for only two years, and the same applies to her Heinkel and “ flying pencil ” Dornier bombers. It is doubtful whether she nas been able to produce more than 5000 of each type. Any plane built before 1937 is out-of-date, and aircraft designed in 1937 and built in 1938 or this year do not possess a speed of more than 354 m.p.h. as fighter or about 300 m.p.h. as bomber. Some of these planes would, of course, be quite useful to wage war on the Western Front, or against Britain in 1940, but they would have to compete with new bombers whose speeds would be well over 300 m.p.h. and new fighters in the 400 m.p.h. class. Since these new types are only now going into production, even in Germany, the total aircraft available to the Nazis by next spring will hardly be 5000 between all the latest types, so that talk of possessing a fleet of 30,000 bombers is meaningless. Taking all types into accounttrainers, bombers, fighters, flyingboats, general reconnaissance aircraft and others—it may be doubted whether Germany is able at the moment to turn out more than 1000 warplanes per month, or 12,000 a year. And in switching over from the 300 m.p.h. types of to-day to the 400 m.p.h. types of to-morrow she must face a time lag which will eat months out of any building programme. Allies’ Immense Resources So you can forget those tall stories about Germany’s air fleet of 30,000If all those planes were bombers they would require 150,000 airmen and 500,000 on the ground to look after them—a five-year training job. During the last war we needed up to 50,000 warplanes in order to maintain a first-line strength of 3000, and we trained 30,000 pilots and 150,000 engineers. If Germany desired a first-line strength of 3000 warplanes she would need all of 30,000 machines to prosecute an intensive war of a few weeks. The 3000 could not plunge into the attack at once, and, in any case, must be divided between the Western Front and Britain.

An hourly raid by 100 bombers for one day of 24 hours would consume nearly all this first-line strength; up to 50 per cent, of it might .be lost in one day. At such a pace Germany’s 30,000 bombers would not last three weeks. Meanwhile we have not only an immense Air Force of our own, but the great resources of France. Germany has no ally. And as long as we keep control of the seas we can buy thousands of modern high-speed bombers and fighters from the United States of America to replace casualties. That market is denied to Hitler. The Allies cannot lose the air war.