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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 1212.PDF
370 MAY 29TH, 1941. table. The Beaufighter, for example, with its heavy armament and considerable range, should have been able to interfere effectively with the landing. Aircraft carriers as a means of getting our short-range aircraft into the battle seem an obvious solution, but it must be remembered that in narrow waters, such as those around Crete, these vessels are vulnerable to air attack, and in any case, the Navy's need of them is great in getting aircraft of the Fleet Air Arm to the scene of attempts at invasion by sea. Not a Dress RehearsalT HERE has been a tendency in certain quarters to regard the Crete invasion as a dress rehearsal which might teach us valuable lessons if Hitler should decide to attempt the invasion of England. It would be well not to assume too much in that direction. The invasion of England would be a very different problem. Not only would the scale have to be stepped up in about the same proportion as the Crete attack was scaled up in comparison with the invasion of Hol- land, but we should have our fighters. That is not to say that no lessons are to be learned from the battle of Crete. There are many aspects of it which would be repeated, or closely so, in such an attack on the British Isles. The main procedure would probably be much the same : heavy dive-bomber attacks followed by parachute troops to occupy certain points, glider troops to reinforce them and, finally, troops in aircraft landed on any aerodrome or suitable field held temporarily by the first arrivals. It is conceivable, too, that any attempted German invasion of this country would be scattered and may extend deep into the coun- try. Crete will at any rate have revealed the German tactics and equipment employed so that the element of surprise will not be so pronounced. Marine AircraftI N one of his articles in Flight, on Air Strategy, Captain Norman Macmillan lamented the neglect of marine aircraft. It does appear that the possession of a number of high-performance floatplanes just now might have been extremely useful. There must be a number of sheltered bays in that part of the Mediterranean where floatplanes could be refuelled from ships, and although the floats would detract from performance, the seaplanes would probably have been fast enough to have a good chance of causing severe havoc among troop-carrying planes and gliders. A Hurricane on floats, for example, should be capable of about 300 m.p.h. This would not be a match for the faster German fighters, but although the weight would be increased and the normal rafge reduced thereby, the compromise would be worth while. Damage done by our aircraft to the German air invaders seems to have been considerable both in raids on Greece and over Crete. Our gunners in the bombers have ceaselessly attacked the enemy in and over Crete, but the function of the bomber's guns is defence rather than attack. One interesting aspect, mentioned by a special corre- spondent of the Times, is the use by the enemy of sea- plane gliders at Crete. For several years the Germans have experimented with small gliders of this type, and in the main it has probably been just a matter of " step- ping-up " the size. The original idea was to start the gliders from the water by towing them off with a fast motor boat. In Crete, however, it appears that the gliders were towed to the scene by aircraft, and they were merely required to make a coastal landing under their own power, and not to take off again. That would mean that stepless hulls could be used, with consequent saving in drag. It would be reassuring to know that the seaplane glider is not being neglected in this country. PERAMBULATING AERODROME : The flight deck of one of our aircraft carriers with Fairey Fulmars and Blackburn! ready to take off.
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