FlightGlobal.com
Home
Premium
Archive
Video
Images
Forum
Atlas
Blogs
Jobs
Shop
RSS
Email Newsletters
You are in:
Home
Aviation History
1944
1944 - 2188.PDF
43« FLIGHT TOBER /6TH, I944 WAR IN THE AIR lots of aircraft carriers has already paid handsome dividends, and is evi dently going to have an important effect on the progress of the eastern war after Hitler and Co. have surren dered. Some other interesting statistics have been published by both the enemy Powers. In the past seven weeks the deaths of no fewer than 22 Japanese Admirals have been an nounced. The last three were said to have died "in battle" or "of illness at the front." There has not been enough sea fighting to account for even a reasonable proportion of these deaths in battle. There may be epi demics spreading through the Japan ese Navy—but there is also the possibility of ham kiri. No Japanese Admiral has exactly covered himself with honour in the last year; and for those who fail to do so, the " happy- despatch '' remains the obvious way out. At the same time we learn that Ger many has lost 138 Generals in the war, the latest being the famous Rommel. He died in hospital after a wound. The Germans say it was caused by a motor accident which was the result of an air. raid. This seems a confused account. Just about the time that his wound or injury was announced, the R.A.F. had been making a series of deliberate attacks on German head quarters in Normandy, and it is quite probable that a bomb was the direct FIREWORK DISPLAY : Two Japanese phosphorous bombs explode over American Liberators raiding Iwo Jima in the Kazans, only 650 miles from Tokio. #•$*#* *MP cause of Rommel's death. His name was once mentioned with something like awe by British soldiers; but Mont gomery soon took his measure, and always had the better of him whenever they met in battle. Air Blows in the West HTHE German resistance on the line •*- of the River Maas is said to have been growing weaker of late, and this has been attributed to the enemy's shortage of battle sup plies. One report said that the Germans themselves had been blowing up bridges over the river, know ing that the Allies have ceased to want to de stroy such means of communications, which they hope to use them selves before long. A more probable ex planation of the troubles of the Ger man troops is the acti vities of the Allied Tac tical and Strategic Air Forces. These have been regularly attack ing bases in the Rhine- land as well as com munications systems just behind the enemy's front. One day last week the Typhoons, Spitfires and Tempests of 2nd Tactical Air Force struck at no less GENTLY DOES IT : Parafrag (parachute fragmentation) bombs landing near a Sally MklH on Old Namlea airfield on Bum Island. than 12 of these transport routes be hind the battle zone, and, among other things, the railway line from Utrecht to Munster was cut in 12 places. One can picture the discomfiture of the German soldiers when supplies which they urgently needed in the stubborn struggle did not arrive. Despite deplorable weather the Canadians were busy all last week in trying to clear the water approaches to Antwerp. The main obstruction was the little place named Breskens. on the mainland just opposite Flush ing. This was stoutly held by German parachute troops and infantry; but theirs must have been a depressing fight, as they knew that no relief could come to them. Their only con solation was that while the Allies could not make use of the port of Antwerp they were handicapped, and probably delayed in their plans for breaking through into Germany. Actually the Americans and British did start fighting on German soil before the Russians managed to cross the frontier into East Prussia. Now the Reich has experienced foreign in-, vasion on both its West and East Fronts. At first the invasion was on a small scale; but it is bound to in crease to great proportions before long. The Strategic. Air Forces of Air Chief Marshal Harris and General Spaatz have been striking with ever- increasing strength at the Father land. Cologne, Kassel, Mainz and Ludwigshafen-Mannheim were among the targets recently attacked in strength. The Americans lost 10 heavy bombers and 23 fighters in,the attacks on the first two, and 11 bombers and 11 fighters in the raids on the last two. The American forces in the attacks on the last two amounted to over 1,000 Fortresses and
Sign up to
Flight Digital Magazine
Flight Print Magazine
Airline Business Magazine
E-newsletters
RSS
Events
