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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 1701.PDF
ann ^AIRCRAFT ENGINEER FIRST AERONAUTICAL WEEKLY IN THE W6RLD .• FOUNDED WO9 Editor C. M. POULSEN Managing Editor G. GEOFFREY SMITH Chief Photographer JOHN YOXALL Editorial, Advertising and Publishing Offices: DORSET HOUSE, STAMFORD STREET, LONDON, S.E.I ,'. Telegrams : Truditur, Sedist, London. ,- Telephone : Waterloo 3333 (35 linei). 8-10. CORPORATION ST., COVENTRY. Telegrams: Autocar, Coventry. Telephone: Coventry 5210. GUILDHALL BUILDINGS, NAVIGATION ST., BIRMINGHAM, 2. Telegrams: Autopress, Birmingham. Telephone: Midlsnd 297 1 (5 lines). 260, DEANSGATE, MANCHESTER, 3. Telegrams: Iliffe, Manchester. Telephone: Blackfriars 4412. 26B, RENFIELD ST., GLASGOW, C.2. Telegrams : Iliffe, Glasgow. Telephone: Central 4857. SUBSCRIPTION RATES: Home and Abroad : Year, £3 10. 6 months, Registered at the G.P.O. as a Newspaper. £1 10 6. 3 months, 15s. 3d. No. 1701. Vol. XL JULY 31st, 1941. Thursdays, One Shilling^ The Outlooks Watching the Muster AVERY spirited broadcast was given recently by aGroup Captain of the R.A.F. who described themustering of squadrons and wings of fighters and bombers for a daylight sweep over Northern France. Incidentally, he mentioned that at first it had not been easy to provoke the Luftwaffe fighters into disputing the British right of way, but that when our heavy bombers went over they could not be disregarded. He also made the point that the ratio of casualties between the enemy and ourselves was almost certainly more favourable than the official figures showed. Not all of our reports of fighters missing meant the death of the pilot, for a lucky shot in the engine would usually force the man to jump with his parachute and be taken prisoner. On the other hand, many damaged enemy machines were likely to be complete losses, but the British airmen were too busy to watch them crash. These are the penalties of fighting over hostile country—but the advantages out- weigh the disadvantages. Perhaps the most striking part of the broadcast was that which described the assembly at the rendezvous over some part of Kent, and the cheer which the sight gave to the people of that county. On the other side of the Channel, those Frenchmen who are constantly being told by their German protectors that Britain is beaten, now see with their own eyes that the R.A.F. is very much a striking force, and constantly growing in its punishing power. The Group Captain explained what a complicated piece of staff work it is to assemble all the squadrons and wings, and no doubt any suggestion of making that work still more complicated would not be welcome. All the same, if it could be arranged without undue trouble for at least part of the R.A.F. force to show itself over London, particularly East London, either before setting off for France or, on its return, the sight would be very cheering to the people of the Capital. Their dogged endurance has aroused the admiration of the whole world, and their phlegmatic "We can take it" has become a by-word. They, if any, deserve the joy of seeing that "We can give it." Moscow RaidedT HE German invasion of Russia had been in pro- gress for several weeks before any report was made of heavy raids by the Luftwaffe on im- portant Russian cities. The first night raid on the Soviet capital was made on July 19 and does not appear to have been a brilliant success. The German accounts may, of course, be discounted. The Russian version receives substantial confirmation from Reuter's special correspondent, whose word will be accepted. He agrees that of the 200 bombers which the Germans say that they despatched many did not reach the city, and places the raid in the category of what would be called by London a "medium blitz." The civil defence services, he said, worked well, which is grati- fying, as experience in the West has been that, it is often practice which brings something like perfection to wardens and fire-fighters. This contrast between the behaviour of the Luftwaffe in Russia and its behaviour in other invaded countries is striking. Elsewhere the German bombers have lost no time in trying to strike, sometimes at military objectives but more often at civilian moral. In Russia, it is said
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