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Aviation History
1944
1944 - 1009.PDF
MAY I8TH, 1944 F LI G W rA R IN THE AIR Offensive in Italy '"PHE tension and the accompanying •*• stand-still on. all the main fronts was broken last week by a full-scale attack by the armies under Gen. Alex ander in Italy. The General started by sending aircraft to blow up the Pes- cara dam, and the flood which ensued gave so much protection to the right wing of the 8th Army that it was pos sible to transfer troops from that front to strengthen the 5th Army on the left of the Allied line. This was a really clever use of aircraft in land fighting. Then the full power of the air was turned on to interfering with com munications behind the enemy's lines. In particular the Avisio viaduct on the * line running south from the Brenner i^Pass was breached. Generally speak ing, it is rather extravagant to use air craft to break railway bridges. The bridges make difficult targets, and German' engineers are very clever at repairing the damage in a short time. But when a major attack is in progress the delay of even a short time on an important line of communications may have telling results. Nearer to the front the Germans must find it extremely hazardous to move along the roads by day, with Allied bombers swarming all over the country and attacking everything that seems a likely target. None the less, the Germans .have shown themselves adepts at getting reinforcements and supplies through by night. The Allied air attacks have hampered, not para lysed, these movements. Over the actual battlefield there is only one side in the air. The Luftwaffe UP IN SMOKE : Terrific explosions occurring during a night raid by Lancasters on an ammunition dump at Sable-sur-Sarthe, near Le Mans. hardly ever puts in an appearance. Last Saturday night it sent 20 bombers to Naples. They dropped bombs, but lost three of their number to the guns of Allied night-fighters. It was not an impressive effort. The fighter-bombers and light bombers of the Allies range where they will, and attack enemy positions. Now and again they knock out a German gun, or do other damage, which helps the harassed in fantry on that particular bit of front. But the Germans do not seem per turbed by the Allied air supremacy. They trust to the mountains to protect their troops from, bombing and DEATH OF A. L. WYKES machine-gunning on a scale which proved so effective in Africa ; and the fortifications which they have erected are admitted to call for strenuous efforts and determination from the assaulting troops. This offensive in Italy is obviously meant to play a particular part in the wider strategic plans of the Allies. The enemy cannot reinforce in Italy with out weakening some other front, and likewise he cannot use his troops there as a reserve for meeting the coming invasion in the West. It is to the West that his eyes are turned ; while he must also be prepared to meet other landings in the Mediterranean. Command of the sea gives the Allies many choices of action. IT is with 'very great regret that Flight records the death of Mr. A. L. Wykes, managing director of Taylorcraft Aero planes (England), Ltd., who was killed on Sunday last whilst flying an Auster in aid of Leicester's "Salute the Sol dier" week. He was giving a display of aerobatics and, according to eye witnesses, it would appear that the machine dived into the ground from a height of only about 300ft. At the time of going to press the cause of the acci dent has not been ascertained. Mr. Wykes, who was 45 years of age and leaves a widow and young son, served as a pilot in the last war. ' He was a great enthusiast for the light air craft and regarded the Auster type as ideal for the post war owner-pilot and for flying clubs. MOSQUITO CREATES ATLANTIC RECORD THE shore-to-shore Atlantic record be tween Labrador and Britain was lowered to 5hr. 40 min. last week-end by one of the first two Canadian-buill Mosquitoes to fly non-stop to this country on the R.A.F. Transport Command's route; time from take-off at Goose Bay to an inland base in Britain was 6hr. 4&min. Wing Cdr. J. de L. Wooldridge. who piloted the aircraft, v%as making his first trans-Atlantic flight. He had pre viously been in command of a Mosquito squadron in this country, and at the termination of a duty visit to America volunteered to ferry a Mosquito back to Britain. The second was but little slower The previous best time for the Labrador-Britain route was made by Capt. W. L. Stewart, of B.O.A.C, flying a Liberator. The Mosquito improved on this by 2hr. iomin., and was also 3omin. quicker than the record held for a year by Capt. G. R. Burton, who flew a Liberator over the 120 miles shorter route from Newfoundland in 7hr. i6min.
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