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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0007.PDF
JANUARY 4TH, 1945 FLIGHT Santa Clans' Weather Rundstedt Feels Our Air Power : Blows at the "Under-belly" : Pacific Aggression UPSETTING THE TIMETABLE : Thunderboltfighter-bombers of the Ninth U.S.A.A.F. attacking a German supply train bound for the Third Army-front. Some of the waggons are derailed and the engine is blazing. IN the first stage of Rundstedt'sgreat counter-attack on the Alliedlines in Holland the weather favoured the Germans—even as early mist favoured the start of Ludendorf's ck on Gough's 5th Army on March Xust, 1918. For days on end the Allies got no advantage from their superior air power, as the weather reduced fly- ing to a minimum. Santa Claus, how- ever, gave the Allies a welcome Christ- mas present in the form of several days of bright frosty weather. At once the ,air was filled with the deep-toned note of aircraft engines as every class of machine hurried up to take up its own appropriate task. The fighters and fighter-bombers of the Tactical Air Forces sped along above the roads looking for German supply vehicles and reinforcements; and sometimes they found them massed bumper Nto bumper. The medium bombers ranged further afield. The Spitfire-bombers sought out buildings in Dutch towns connected with the business of rocket shells. The heavies, both of Bomber Command and of the 8th Air Force, went for the railway SECOND WIND : Long-range tanksfitted to 2nd T.A.F. rocket-Typhoons before a raid on targets in Hanover.This represents a penetration of over 120 miles behind the front line. centres and marshalling yards behind the German lines. Naturally the slaughter of vehicles on the roads was great at first, and many tanks also felt the blow frojH the air and had to stay put. Soon JV?"" ever, the roads began to clear fay (fe showing that the Germans fcad te driven back on to movements night. Tanks and other yetiiclesjtere found by the Americans! pessjrted Ion the roads, not in the least damaged, but with empty petrol tanks. Nothing proved more conclusively than that the value of .Iheir air power to the Allies. . 'Further/ evidence of petrol shortage wasjren in Ithe fairly extensive use of drawaf carts^W the Germans. It had\e*n saMjthat the Luftuvaffe aof\be^a y^efulfy saved! up for this •^ttle, afid! certainly more/German air- ,tt-.put in an appearajice than had
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