FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1941
1941 - 2409.PDF
OCTOBER I6TH, 1941. FLIGHT 251 War in The Air The German Push in Russia : Tripoli Harbour on Fire Piraeus : Fighters on Merchant Ships Destruction at EVERYBODY is waiting to learnhow far the great German pushin Russia will get before it is brought to a halt. It has been re- ported that the Germans have massed 5,000 aircraft for front-line fighting and bombing, and to muster this number has meant taking away half the number of squadrons which were being used for the investment of Leningrad. The Soviet naval aircraft of the Baltic fleet have been taking part in the fighting round that city, and the Russians claim that in two days these machines brought down six German aircraft and destroyed many tanks and lorries, the latter laden with troops. One of the first signs of the impend- ing advance was an attack by a squadron of German bombers on an aerodrome used by the R.A.F. Wing in Russia. Our fighters promptly shot down three Ju 88s and damaged nearly all the others, several so seriously that they could hardly have got home. Our only casualty was one aircraftman slightly injured by a bomb splinter. Russian efficiency in mechanical matters has not been well realised in this country. Here are two stories brought back by British airmen who have lately been in Moscow. The Russians wanted, recently, to con- struct a new aerodrome near the fight- ing line on the central sector. The only suitable site was a swamp. So they moved in 10,000 workers to that swamp. They dug out the whole area to a depth of 20ft. They filled it up with gravel and rubble, and then laid a concrete runway on top. The whole job was finished, and - the swamp turned into an operational aerodrome, in exactly seven weeks. The other story concerns a consign- ment of American fighter aircraft, sent direct to Russia in crates from the United States. When the aircraft arrived in their crates it was found that the assembly tools had accidentally got separated from the aircraft in the course of the long journey. The tools had been delayed, and might lake a week or two to arrive. The Russians turned a squad of picked engineers on to the job. They inspected the air- craft, decided what tools were required and promptly turned a factory over to the job of making them. The tools were made, and the aircraft were assembled and in the air within four days. A report has reached Washington that Goring has fallen into disgrace for siding with the Army chiefs against the party headed by Himmler, and that in consequence the great air chief has been "sequestered" at a place called Karin Hall under a special S.S. guard. Such tales should, however, be accepted with reserve The enemy effort to build up a strong force in Tripolitania continues unceasingly and so do the British efforts to interfere with it. Our sub- marines have had great success, and lately the Fleet Air Arm found a con- voy emerging from the Ionian Sea, and dealt faithfully with it. It consisted of Wellington crews being "briefed" for the recent heavy raid on Genoa.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
