STRAIN TELLING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 20 December 1943, Page 3

STRAIN TELLING

ON JAPANESE AIR POWER SIGNS OF WEAKNESS APPARENT ON EVERY FRONT. ACCORDING TO “NEW YORK TIMES.” (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) NEW YORK, December 19. “Japanese air weakness is apparent on every front,” Says the “New York Times,”, in an editorial. “Despite frantic efforts to increase the rate of replacement, the enemy has apparently reached a point where production is falling behind losses. “For almost a year and a half Japan enjoyed great advantages. Her only air. front was the South-West Pacific, and she was able to fly reinforcements from convenient reservoirs behind the fighting line, while he had to bring replacements'from bases thousands of miles away. “Gradually, however, the strain began to tell. Japan was forced to give up her forward airfields one after another. The moment a real second front opened in the Gilberts, Japan’s air strength seemed to shrink to nothing. Her air interception over New Britain almost ceased, and failed to <pheck the invasion of Arawe. •“The enemy plainly had insufficient planes to man two major fronts. Air cover was weak even over'the mandated areas as our deep naval raids prove. Meanwhile, our growing air force in China, and the war clouds over Burma and the home islands serve to anchor the enemy air strength in those areas. But even now, with her weakness exposed, Japan has not yet felt the full impact of our air power.”