RUNNING SHORT OF PILOTS

Evening Star, Issue 23679, 12 September 1940, Page 10

RUNNING SHORT OF PILOTS

ITALIANS MOVED TO GERMANY SEPTEMBER 16 “ DER TAG " ? LONDON, September 11. (Received September 12, at 11 a.m.) The British United Press correspondent on the German frontier learns that Italian ipilote are being transferred to Germany as a result of the shortage of German pilots. September 16 is now mentioned as the vital date of the German urooramme.

MEDITERRANEAN FLEET

CONSTANT SEARCH FOR ITALIAN SHIPS .LONDON, September 3. A correspondent, writing from Gibraltar, states that, while the Italian Fleet is rusting in its harbours, the British Fleet is still scouring the seas, hoping for adventures, and keeping its personnel fit by constant training. He writes: I have just spent four days at sea in the most luxurious warship afloat—although the Germans and Italians have often sunk her over the radio. This vast aircraft carrier is still a coinpact gem of mechanical contrivances. With stores loaded she is an independent city, with a complement of 1,600. The routine aboard is very fascinating. Every aircraft taking off for any reason must be in the air in the fewest possible minutes, as is also the case when it is landing and descending to the hangars below the flight deck. A remarkable understanding prevails between the officers and men without any relaxation of discipline or etiquette. Almost everything has its nickname. When I was permitted to fly 1 dis-

carded my “ Shirley Temple ” (the nickname for the small lifebelt always carried) and donned the stouter “ Mae West.” I climbed into the aeroplane, and the “ monkey tail ” —a new safety belt appliance swivelled on to the flyer’s rear—was hooked to the cockpit’s floor. Three machines, “ Batty,” “ Wimpy,” and “ Stinker,” accompanied us. After vainly seeking Italian submarines, we dropped calcium bombs at the imaginary submarines and proceeded to wipe them out. The return to the flight deck, which, from the air, looks as narrow as a piece of tape, is always thrilling, but the pilots do not find landings difficult. “ Wimpy,” however, slightly damaged the undercarriage, whereupon immediately and almost magically “ Jumbo ” arrived in a lift and carried “ Wimpy ” to the repair shop. The opinion of the enemy held by the Navy may be gauged from the fact that night gun practice with calcium flare targets was carried on for a whole hour. Searchlights stretched two miles across the water, while shells straddled a flaming target and aircraft flew miles without glimpsing the Italian Air Force, which the German Propaganda Minister, Dr Goehhels, says dominates the Mediterranean.