THE DIVE-BOMBER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25278, 15 July 1943, Page 2

THE DIVE-BOMBER

EXTREMELY VULNERABLE CHANGE IN AMERICAN POLICY LONDON, July 13. Clear indications that the United States army and navy have decided either to curtail drastically or discontinue the production of pure dive-bombers support the British Air Ministry policy. The American services’ decision is given in a report of the Senate Committee. The Air Ministry, in spite of much criticism, refused to have dive-bombers made in Britain, and showed reluctance to order this type of plane. It has, however, done much to develop high-speed fighter bombers like the Typhoon as divebombers for use against special targets. \ The Times aviation writer says the United States services were enthusiastic about dive-bombers before entering the war. It may be assumed that the change in their attitude is due to pracL ' tical experience with them against strong defences. The Germans themselves have been gradually losing faith in the divebomber. In Tunisia very few were used, the enemy employing instead ground attack units of fighter-bombers. The production of the Junkers 87’s, the only true German Stuka, is known to have been drastically reduced. The divebomber has. been shown to be an extremely vulnerable machine.