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Aviation History
1945
1945 - 0107.PDF
JANUARY I8TH, 1943 FLIGHT Combined Ops. at Luzon : Mediterranean A • A • F. at Work Again : Snoiv / Helps Rundstedt : B29s at Singapore ,~J.. Holding down the tail of a Spitfire in Holland whilethe Merlin engine is run up. Cold work these days. THE American landing on Luzon,the most northerly and im-portant of the Philippine Islands, is first-class good news. For some time past U.S. aircraft have been sedulously plastering the airfields in the island, and it almost goes with- out saying that the landing was pre- ceded by a bombardment from the air and from the guns of warships. The Japanese had for some days previously been announcing that American in- vasion fleets were approaching Luzon ; but they seem to have been taken by surprise when the American troops landed where they did. Perhaps some feint landings may have deceived the enemy. At any rate, Gen. MacArthur took his men ashore at Lingayen, about half-way up the western coast, and promptly seized the airfield near the town. Japanese aircraft attacked the American vessels and sank some of the smaller craft, but did nothing of importance. No transport was damaged. On land the Japanese resistance was not formidable, and American aircraft lost no time in cutting roads and rail- ways which might help the enemy to n^ove up forces to oppose the liberating Army. Construction battalions with their bulldozers and other helps were RUSSIAN GRASSHOPPER: A U.2shot down by rifle fire behind the German lines. The Russians use theselight biplanes for artillery spotting, ambulance work and for close contactover the battlefield at night. among the first to follow up the advanced guard of infantry and armour, so that any airfields captured might be got into working order with the least possible delay. It is chiefly the work of the American bombers which needs to be made good. Gen. MacArthur, who must be de- lighted to be back in the island which he defended so heroically in 1942, has said that thecentral,plaiawas the spot where''the battle for Manit entire Philippines would and won. That rather soundj his main trust in his ai , FoN; a considerable time nd .the can bombers have been regularly attacking targets in Formosa. Tokyo has not seen the last of American Superfortresses. In time her citizens will see also British and American ships, sailors and soldiers. In Italy the weather improved last week, especially on the front of the 5th Army. The snow hampered move- ments on the ground, but the M.A.A.F. immediately got busy, and on the first of the clearer days flew nearly 1,000 sorties. The 1st Tactical Air Force hit more than 225 waggons on the railways of the Po valley, medium bombers did some damage to
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