NIGHT FIGHTERS

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLVIII, Issue 21821, 26 November 1940, Page 4

NIGHT FIGHTERS

Answer To Nazi Bombers Must Be Gradual Process British Official Wireless (Received November 25, 6.30 p.m.) RUGBY, November 24. The third stage of the great aerial battle may be said still to be in the indeterminate stage. The first stage, consisting of the Nazi endeavour to apply the overwhelming weight of a bomber attack to Britain, which had succeeded so well against numerically inferior fighter opposition when carried out in close co-operation with ground forces, appears to have been at last recognised as a failure when the army Is unable Immediately to follow in the path of the bomber. This lesson caused Germany not only the loss of a great number of aeroplanes and an even greater number of most valuable airmen, but also Imposed on her the necessity of learning a new conception of the use of the air arm. In this she had the advantage of the practical demonstration given by the Royal Air Force, which carried out extremely destructive night raids over industrial Germany some months before the Nazi air force had sufficiently trained crews to be able to venture forth in darkness. What may be regarded by future military historians as the intermediate phase shows signs of coming to an end. An attack on civil populations, either by propaganda or violence as the occasion serves, is a common form of Nazi technique and this, coupled with the vast area of London as a. target, may have given the Luftwaffe High Command the idea of endeavouring to combine a serious offensive against the civil will which, after all, is the foundation of military power, with the secondary object of training crews in the difficult operation of night bombing, knowing from their own experience so far that the advantage still rests with the attacker, and that this form of warfare training could be earned out in comparative safety. Attack on War Industry The events of the last two weeks may show that the Nazis have realised that their endeavour to break London’s morale has failed, but having in the process got together at least the nucleus of a trained night bomber force, a long term policy of attacking the war industry at its source has been adopted. Some observers consider that the attack on Coventry may be the first manifestation of this policy being put into operation, and cite the subsequent attacks on selected towns in support of their contention. However this may be, both sides are vitally concerned in finding an adequate defence to the night bomber attack, and for the moment the problem has passed more into the hands of the scientific engineering experts than those of the combatant air commands. Many competent observers regard the solution of this problem as being the same decisive answer given the German daylight bombers —by efficient, well-handled fighter aeroplanes. While admitting that anti-aircraft fire has forced the raiders to fly at great altitudes and also that the gunnery is becoming more and more accurate, these circles contend that ground defence by itself will not accomplish very much more. They say the principle of success lies in “seeking out the enemy and destroying him,” and for this purpose he must be tackled in the element in which he is operatingin other words, fighters by night is the answer to the bomber by night. The initial part in finding the ideal aeroplane for this work lies with the technicians and the problems facing them are those of visibility, range, armament and ability to attain a very high speed in the air and also a sufficiently slow landing speed. The final problem, and probably the most difficult to solve, is that of finding the enemy at night. It is sometimes not realised, especially by town dwellers and those used to well illuminated vehicles, how extremely difficult it Is to see in the dark. A blind man, however, relies a great deal on sound, and in this direction it is probable the solution lies. A long time, however stretches between theory and practice, and even a longer one between prototype and production. The problems of aerial warfare are new and arise as the fight proceeds. Defence will be a gradual process and no sudden or soon solution can be expected.