U.S. PLANES

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 88, Issue 3, 5 January 1944, Page 3

U.S. PLANES

SAVED AUSTRALIA AMERICA’S DANGEROUSLY NARROW MARGIN I By Telegraph—Preaa Aaaoclatlon—Copyright) Recd. 7 p.m. Washington, Jan. 3. The United States Air Force was largely instrumental in saviny Australia in unprecedented transport and troop-carrying operations, says General Arnold in a review of United States Air Force operations. “We are now helping to clear New Guinea and the neighbouring islands and are providing a lifeline to keep China in the fight,” he added. The United States had a total of. 526 planes of all types deployed on December 7, 1941, to meet all possible attacks on Hawaii and the Philippines. Within a few hours the number was reduced to 176. We were then equipped with plans, not planes. We maintained an alert on Luzon from November 15, 1941, but even then General MacArthur reported that after the war’s first day there were only 17 heavy bombers and 70 fighters remaining of the 73 bombers and 220 fighters. During the following days 14 heavy bombers managed to reach Australia, but our fighters were destroyed one after another.

“From this wreckage arose the still growing air force of 2,385,000 officers and men, who until December 31,1943, had flown more than 250,000 combat sorties, destroyed 8475 enemy planes, probably destroyed 2555 and damaged 2834. “Those who think that after the costly and time-consuming defeat of Germany we can by a simple order fly planes to China to bomb xokio and bring Japan to her knees don’t understand the need of vast supply lines, well-equipped bases and planes built to fight under entirely different conditions from those in Europe. Supply is our problem, in China, Heavy bombardment crews must ferry their own planes, petrol and replacement parts, and the crews must make four trips over the Himalayas before making one combat flight. “Foreign nations, although buying planes in 1939, were reluctant to release any combat data, which prevented us from building combat planes with the latest features. Britain needed planes to stave off the threatened invasion after Dunkirk and we sent the R.A.F. our own desperately needed aircraft. During the fiscal year of 1940, the army air force received only 886 planes of all types from the manufacturers, but we flew 26,900 planes to the Allies through lend-lease or direct purchase. “The near future will probably determine the survival or destruction of the Luftwaffe. A point will be reached where German reserves will be exhausted and only a trickle of replacements can be supplied if the pi esent rate of attrition persist and German factories continue to suffer progressive destruction. The issue now hangs on which side first falters, weakens and loses its pushing power. The working life of any aeroplane is short; for instance, a Flying Fortress in one theatre at present operates 231 days before being lost in combat or damaged mechanically in routine flights. It is then dismantled, to be used to rebuild others. During this average life period a Fortress will fly 21 combat missions. “During the next 15 months 145,000 planes, heavier and more elaborately equipped than heretofore, will be completed. None of our air forces possess sufficient planes; everyone could use double the present number. Salerno was one of the turning points of the war, and we had just enough aircraft to cover the landing forces. The biggest air battles are yet to be fought and we need every plane we can produce.”