AIR MASTERY AIM

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 64, 17 March 1942, Page 5

AIR MASTERY AIM

ALLIES’ OFFENSIVE IN PACIFIC s ) TRIBUTE TO AMERICAN VOLUNTEERS d >• (Ey Telegraph—Pres« Association—Copyright.) ° London, March 15. ;• Air Marshal Sir Richard Peirse, the new Air Commander-in-Chief in India, re -ealed at his first Press conference in New Delhi i- tc-day, that the Japanese have already lost 200 planes in the Bur--8 mese campaign. He paid a tribute to the magnificent work of the American Volunteer Group coilabcrating with the R.A.F. in g Burma, and said that the two forces, while inflicting- such heavy | losses on the Japanese air force, had lost only 42 of their own s machines. From the start, he said, we had been able Io establish air superiority in Burma, a very different situation from that which ■; existed in the south-west Pacific, Air .Marshal Peirse went on: s "General Wavcll has declared that we shall tight to the utmost to 0 defend Burma. These are the sentiments of the R.A.F. r "The circumstances of our air forces are infinitely better tos day than when the Burmese campaign opened. Reinforcements , are coming through faster, and our plans are being accelerated. “ "Aircraft lor aircraft, the British and American types are / superior to the Japanese. .Man fur man, 1 don't think we have , any fear of the enemy, but we have laboured under a very big t numerical inferiority in the south-west Pacific.

! "1 do not underrate the enemy. , The Japanese air force is very t well trained and organised, but if ; we ean meet the enemy on any- ■ thing like equal terms we can ’ shoot him from the skies, and he , knows it, too.’’ Air Marshal Peirse confirmed the ■ statement that American stafi oiheers J are now at Air Headquarters in India, and went on to speak of reint'orcer ments. The planes coming to India, t he said, were the latest types, both - British and American. The new machines-would be equall ,- ■ spread between Hie Indian Air 1- ore.', the R.A.F., and the United Slates AnForce in India. There were plans lor the re-equipment of the Indian squadron with modern aircraft, both lighters and bombers. Referring to Indian airmen in , Burma, lie said that recently their , first squadron had been in action, and. as one might have expected, they had distinguished themselves, and added: “I feel confident that their achievements are the forerunner of what one may expect from the Indian Air Force when its remaining squadrons take their places in the air.” Air Marshal Peirse spoke warmly of his experience of the Dutch airmen whom he had commanded under Gcn- ’ era! Wavell in the south-west Pacific, ’ and said he could not wish to be asso- ; dated with stouter or more courage--1 ous men. i On tlie broad subject of air opera- , tions lie declared: “We are not going to be content to put up an umbrella and sit underneath it waiting for the enemy to attack us. We are going to carry the war into the enemy’s country, into Japan." I ; HELP FOR AUSTRALIA ' WASHINGTON OPTIMISM » IMPORTANCE TO ALLIED STRATEGY i (Rec. 1.10 a.m.) Washington, Mar. 15. The relative optimism prevailing in Washington regarding lhe Pacific 1 situation is based on two factors— the ’’ arrival of American troops in Australia and the supply of American fighter aircraft there. ' It was admitted that American 1 troops in Australia probably number only a few thousand, but they are the vanguard of a great expeditionary force which is being sent to Australia. Apart from the moral weight of the visible American support to the threatened Australians, it. is understood that the American soldiers there include the best-trained and i. best-equipped troops in the entire s United States Army. More important i as an immediate factor in the mili1 tary situation is the arrival of Ameri- . can fighter planes in Australia. If c they are present in .sufficient force to 2 protect the Flying Fortress bombers’ operations, the outcome of the Battle - for Australia should be far more difi ferent than that for Java, where the i Flying Fortresses were unprotected :1 by fighters and hence were forced to - withdraw. Furthermore, although .1 Allied naval inferiority is now more - marked than ever, some American n naval units are still operating off Aus- - tralia. In addition, the role of American submarines operating in the Pacific area is becoming very important. 7 Washington is keenly aware that, the forthcoming battle will be grim, but the authorities recognise that the retention of Australia is vital to the Allied military strategy from both offensive and defensive viewpoints, for. as Mr. Curtin pointed out in his speech to America, if Australia falls the west coast of America will be the next Japanase invasion target.