FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1943
1943 - 1626.PDF
FLIGHT JUNE 24TH, 1943 we should not be in a hurry to draw definite conclusions from the opera- tions. The case of Pa,ntellaria was not on all fours with the case .of Crete. The subject is discussed in the lead- ing columns of this issue. At any rate, it is very satisfactory that the Allies have now started tp advance north- wards from Africa, and further moves are anxiously expected. No doubt the long lines of ships which were spread out along the route round the coast to the Middle East are now congregat- ing at some base in readiness for the next advance. The Bomber Offensive "JV/TANY parts of Germany cannot -"-*• have enjoyed their Whitsun holi- days very much. Recent targets for heavy raids have included Dusseldorf, Munster, Bochum, Oberhausen, and Cologne. The wretched city of Cologne had its 115th raid on the night df Wednesday, June 16th. One is rather surprised that there is anything left in the place which could be worth bombing. But the German is an in- dustrious and persistent beast— Cologne had been left pretty well alone since the end of February, and in the interval the enemy had been doing what patching up he could. The city is too important to him to be written off as crashed beyond repair, and our reconnaissance aircraft had brought in reports of the Germans' activities. They had been keeping an eye on the progress for some time, but it is the best policy to allow repairs to make a certain amount of progress in peace, and then, when there is something worth hitting, to go out and batter it. That wastes German effort and man- hours, and has a most discouraging effect on those engaged in the work of repair. Out in the Atlantic it has been noticed that the crews of U-boats have WAR IN THE AIR adopted new tactics when attacked by our aircraft. They no longer seek safety by diving, but stay on the sur- face and try to drive the aircraft off with their guns. That goes to show that the depth charges dropped by the aircraft of Coastal Command have been proving effective, and that the U-boat commanders have found that evasion is not the best policy. A sub- marine which dives automatically puts itself out of action for a considerable time, and its speed below the surface is so low that the convoy may well "have got out of its reach by the time it ventures up to the surface again. If it can wing the aircraft and drive it away, the U-boat renjains in a posi- tion to attack—that is, provided that it is not within easy range of an escort vessel. The naval authorities respon- sible for the safety of the convoys regard this change of tactics by the U-boats as one more success to the Allied Nations in the Battle of the Atlantic. Another sign of German frustration and irritation has been more frequent raiding by night over England by small forces of German aircraft, most of them fighter-bombers. On a good many nights lately one or two of the raiders have reached the London area and set the sirens wailing. Few, if any, have penetrated beyond the outer limits-of Greater London, but some bombs have been dropped and some casualties caused. It is easy for the German broadcasts to tell the people at home that these were heavy raids which did an immense amount of damage, and were suitable reprisals for the heavy blows struck by the R.A.F. at German industrial centres. Actually, of course, they make no difference whatever to Britain's war effort, and only cause individual tragedies. The raiders, too, seldom escape scatheless, for the British de- fence system continues to grow stronger and more efficient as time goes on, and the number of German raiders destroyed, though not enough to cripple the Luftwaffe in Western Europe, make up a very respectable proportion of the machines which set out. It must be discouraging work for the German pilots, and if they were not very resolute men they would hardly persist as they have been doing. In the Pacific A TERRIFIC air battle took place •** over Guadalcanal on June 16th, when American airmen encountered an unusually strong force of Japan- ese machines and shot down 77 of them, 45 Zero fighters and 32 bombers, for the loss of only six of their own machines. The Japanese are said to be fatalistic fighters who regard death in action as the normal and natural end of a soldier, but even so, a result like that must have a dis- couraging effect on the survivors. After all, their great idea is to die in a victory, not in a defeat, and they must have realised by this time that their airmen are no match for the Americans in any way. The manu- facturing resources of Japan are not unlimited, and the loss of 77 aircraft in one engagement can be no light matter. Following on the American recap- ture of Attu Island in the Aleutians, the American Navy has started to tackle the larger island of Kiska, which lies farther to the East. Naval Ven- turas have raided the island and scored hits on the main camp area, the runway on the airfield, and the anti-aircraft battery positions. Further attacks from the air and the sea are SUNDERLANDS IN GREAT GALE : During one of the worst gales experienced off the west coast of Scotland, air crews at aCoastal Command Station fought day and night for eleven days to save their Sunderlands from disaster. Members of one crew clambered out on to the wings of their aircraft to keep it balanced and remained there for over an hour during a fierce hail-storm.Another pilot stayed at the controls of his Sunderland for 50 hours. The only communication between the airtraft and the shore was by radio telephone, and to keep the radio working batteries had to be sent out regularly. They were towed out in parachutebags lashed to dinghies, and paid out by line to the aircraft. Supplies were sent in the same manner. Not one of the flying boats was lost. (Left) A Sunderland riding out the high seas. After the storm, a Sunderland beached on the sand. She sustainedvery little damage.
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
