AIR BLITZ FROM TWO SIDES
Coining For Germany, DECLINING FIGHTER OPPOSITION
(By Telegraph.—Press Assu. — Copyright.!, (Received October 19, 7 p.m.) LONDON, October 18. Powerful bomber fleets of the North--, West African Air Forces are preparing.; a great air offensive against Germany-) This is officially stated by the .Allied'! headquarters in North Africa. The an-j nouncement said that within a short time the Allies will be in a position to! hit the vital objectives in Germany; from either Britain or Italy, taking advantage of the most favourable' weather in each ease. General Arnold, head of the United States Army Air Forces, stated in. Washington today that the Germans have concentrated 1800 fighters between Denmark and Belgium under; orders to attack the United States daylight bombers at any cost. The Germans’ bomber strength has been so reduced that they can accomplish little except nuisance raids against England, he said. “The German fighter opposition to the attacks in Germany is not nearly what it was.” he added, “be are wearing them down. We are getting the upper hand.” The single Regensburg raid cost the Germans 500 aircraft in lost production,! lie stated. At Schweinfurt, the Eigth Air Force knocked out one of the two principal ballbearing plants. The August raid on Schweinfurt had not been completely successful, and .it.,was therefore necessary to repeat the raid last.week. General Arnold compared the loss of bO ■ bombers in this attack to a very brief recent interruption in the work at t-ie Packard plant in the United States which cost 300 planes. Big U.S. Preparations.
The American air force is planning a daylight offensive against Germany on a ■scale never before seen in aerial warfare, says the **Daily Express aviation wiiter. Important reinforcements of war planes and crews will soon join the JJuitccL States Eighth Air Force in Britain. Already an additional 600 trained flying crews have arrived at air stations in Britain from America. Bomber reinforcements which are expected soon will include some of America’s powerful new aircraft. The Allied air chiefs are obviously making a big effort to cause the maximum destruction before Germany s new'defensive weapons can be produced, oil a full scale. The writer adds; “America s military and air experts have laid their plans after studying the brilliant successes of the recent Flying Fortress raids on Germany.” .. . ~ ~ Since the Allied landing m North Africa last November the enemy has lost more than 6500 planes, says Reuter s Algiers correspondent. These include ] 245 which were found abandoned on captured airfields in Italy, and many captured planes which had been smashed or damaged our air attacks.
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Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 21, 20 October 1943, Page 5
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432AIR BLITZ FROM TWO SIDES Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 21, 20 October 1943, Page 5
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