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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 1473.PDF
Jury I6TH, 1942 FLIGHT m ENEMY AIR LOSSES TO JULY llth Over G.B. July S „ 6 , 7 8 ., 9 „ 10 .. 'I Totals : 0 1 4 0 0 0 1 6 West 6,047 Over Continent 0 2 0 2 0 • 0 0 4 ; Middle East Middle East 20 0 10 34 17 15 28 124 over 4,250. Another daring raid by Bomber Command took place by daylight on the evening of Saturday last, July nth. Several squadrons of Lancas- iers set out for Danzig and the neigh bouring port of Flensburg, botlf of which are centres of U-boat construc tion. The Danzig raid involved a flight of 1,750 miles, and was the longest daylight operational flight ever made by our bombers. The weather was filthy, and numerous thunder storms as well as violent winds were met by our squadrons. Some of the navigators completely lost their way, which is easy to understand in such conditions, and had to return to their ^sissies. On arriving over Danzig the IJancasters came down below the WAR IN THE AIR clouds to bomb, and some machines flew very low indeed. There was much flak, but no German fighters were met, partly perhaps because the place was taken by surprise, partly, no doubt, on account of the weather. Some of our bomb-aimers were sure that they hit the U-boat yards. Only three of the Lancasters failed to return. Fierce Fighting in Russia A T the moment of writing the **•*- Russians are fighting hard to retard the great German offensive which is pivoted on Kharkov. This has been expected ever since the win ter, but has materialised rather late in the summer. Bock, the German General, has a superiority in numbers of aircraft, and it is reported that the Luftwaffe on that front has been re organised. A number of "shock* groups " has been formed, on the prin ciple of the fighter "circus" of the last war which has been connected with the name of Manfred von Ritch- hofen, but now including various BRITISH AIR LOSSES TO JULY llth Over G.B. A'crft. July 5 0 6 0 J 0 ..8 0 9 0 .. 10 0 ., li 0 0 Totals : West, Over Continent B'bn. F'trs. 0 0 2 0 0 0 4 0 3 0 0 0 5 0 u "0 4,116; M'ddle East, Middle East A'crft. 10 0 4 9 9 3 13 48 (13 pilots safe) about 1,420. categories of bombers as well as fighters. These can be moved rapidly from place to place so as to achieve unexpected air superiority overnight at a critical point. One of these groups is under another Richthofen, stated to be a cousin of the late Man fred. In order to save time, even at a sacrifice of fuel, the Germans have been flying up aircraft to the front from factories or bases even as far away as Munich. Some of the mobile air groups con tain as many as 600 to 700 machines, and it has been observed that before an offensive opens the Germans often move from 500 to 600 aircraft to appropriate advanced bases. There are reserves behind. T*his photograph shows a Short Stirling and over 50 personnel who are immediately connected and flying. They include an aircrew of 8 ; Met. officer ; W.A.A.F. parachute packer ; flying crew of 12 ; ground service crew of 18 ; armourers numbering n ; tractor driver ; oil tanker Although tiiis seems to be an enormous staff to keep one machine on service, it is but a small employed. At the close of the last war the Royal Air Force was 291,175 strong, with a total these aircraft only 3,300 represented first-line strength. The proportion of personnel to first- region of 100 to one for the simple machines of that date. To-day it must with keeping the machine serviced control officer ; flight maintenance driver and fuel tanker crew of 2. percentage of the number actually of 22,171 aircraft on charge. Of line aircraft was, therefore, in the be many more. y
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