JAPANESE AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25800, 22 March 1945, Page 5

JAPANESE AIR FORCE

STRENGTH DWINDLING THOUSANDS OF PLANES LOST WASHINGTON, (Rec. 8.30 p.m.) March 20; The Japanese have lost at least 10,000 planes in combat since September 1, 1944, said Lieutenant-general G. C. Kenney, addressing a press conference. He added: “ Japanese air strength has slumped to a point where our pilots are getting kind of discouraged.” He pointed out that SuperFortresses met only one-third of the air opposition expected on Japan’s mainland. He said the Japanese Air Force was suffering from a lack of replacement of men and planes, and expressed the opinion that, the Japanese Air Force was not a threat any more. “They must be having trouble with plane production. Moreover, their pilots are not good and there are not enough to fly planes, even if someone gave them aircraft. In addition the Japanese do not possess good maintenance mechanics. They are marooned around Rabaul somewhere.” General Kenney said the Japanese, had a pretty good plan for Luzon’s defence, but they put it back in the files when there was no supporting air power. He estimated that about 3000 Japanese planes littered Luzon's fields, jungles and ricefields, and added: “It is quite a sight to see all those heaps of enemy junk.”