DAMAGING BLOW

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 January 1944, Page 3

DAMAGING BLOW

STRUCK AT GERMAN AIR POWER . IN U.S. DAYLIGHT ASSAULT 156 ENEMY FIGHTERS DESTROYED. IMPORTANT PLANE FACTORIES SMASHED. LONDON, January 13. It is now known that the great American- air fleet which raided aircraft factories in Germany on Tuesday 1 destroyed 156 enemy fighters. The bombers shot down 125 and the escorting fighters 31. The Americans’ loss of bombers is now 60. (Earlier statements reported a loss of .59 bombers and five fighters.) The huge air battle over Germany yesterday inflicted one of the Tardest blows yet struck against the German air force at the cost cf approximately five per cent, of the American planes, said General Arnold, Chief cf the U.S. Army Air Forces, in a statement released in the United States. He added that three important fighter plane factories were smashed, their production being wiped out altogether ■for months. (General Arnold’s figure of 5 per cent, implies that some 500 United States fighter planes participated in a total force of between 1200 and 1300 American aircraft in the action.) ON VAST SCALE INVASION PREPARATIONS IN BRITAIN. AIR AND SHIPPING FACTORS. i"3y Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) LONDON, January 12. One of the most important factors in the coming months is going to be the weather, and meteorologists in Britain •will probably be among the most consulted groups of people in the country. Given suitable weather, the United States Army Air Force will be able . to hammer strategical targets in precision bombing raids by day, while at night heavy bombers of the R.A.F. will continue area bombing. If the weather is unfavourable, pre-invasion disruption of Germany will be a protracted business. Here it might be commented that little attention need be paid to German forecasts of when the invasion will begin. They are ranging between “immediate” and “April,” the purpose of which is propaganda to try to confuse the minds of the Allied populations and cause discontent if “immediate” attack is not forthcoming. A feature of the Luftwaffe today is the great number of fighters it now possesses. They outnumber the bombers, and by far the greatest proportion of these fighters are based against Britain. There is also a strong force in Austria. These fighters can be relied on to give firm opposition. They are at present being used sparingly for concentration against attacks on important targets, which accounts .for reports from time to time of the absence of opposition. They will need to conserve their energies, for the Allied air force is still in the stage of’“working up,” while the raids against Sofia indicate that the Mediterranean bombing force is beginning, to get under way. Another indication of the Allies’ preparations is given in the news of the assembly in Britain by British and American soldiers of vast quantities of railway rolling stock for use in the invasion. It is estimated that 50 miles of new rolling stock will be ready on the day of invasion. It is constructed of prefabricated parts brought from America. They are made up of 40-ton refrigerator trucks, tank cars, troop trucks, .gun trucks and machinery to build roads and bridges. It is also stated that Britain and America have 10,000,000 tons more shipping than a year ago.' which has an important bearing on invasion. While the building up of air, land| and sea- forces is going on steadily and the High Command is perfecting its plans, it seems that t he chief query hanging over all the preparations may be summed up in the word weather, and the vagaries of the English weather in the immediate months ahead should be borne in mind in attempting to assess when General Eisenhower will name zero hour. EIGHT ENEMY PLANES SHOT DOWN BY BRITISH FIGHTER-BOMBERS. OFFENSIVE OVER NORTHERN FRANCE. LONDON, January 13. R.A.F. fighter-bombers were out on the offensive over Northern France today. They shot down eight enemy air- | craft. One R.A.F. plane is missing.