RUSSIAN THREAT TO DOWN PLANES OVER SOVIET ZONE

Grey River Argus, 12 November 1948, Page 5

RUSSIAN THREAT TO DOWN PLANES OVER SOVIET ZONE

LONDON, Nov. 10 Lieutenant-General Lukyanchenko, Russian Chief of Staff, in a letter to Brigadier Gailey, American Chief of Staff, threatened to force down foreign aircraft flying over the Russian zone outside the narrow air corridors used by the British and American planes on the Berlin air lift, says the British United Press Berlin correspondent. , „ . « The letter warned that all aircraft without identification marks of nationality and all foreign aircraft appearing over the Soviet zone would be forced by Russian air patrols to land on the nearest Russian airfield. Brigadier Gaily replied: “Full and complete responsibility will rest on the Soviet authorities should any injury be sustained by any of our personnel or damage occur to any of our planes as a result of Soviet action. NEW LIGHTING INVENTION An announcement that a new British invention —sodium bar airfield lighting-—is being installed at the Gatow airfield to enable the air-lift planes to land in bad weather, was made by the British secretary for Air, Mr Arthur Henderson, who is on a visit to Germany. i Mr Henderson declared: The new lighting system enables planes to land safely when visibility is below .2000 feet but over 1500 feet. Radar will be used when visibility drops still lower. One thousand one hundred and nine air-lift planes have landed at Gatow bv radar in the past fortnight. As long as there is a 200 ft ceiling, we can bring planes in on radar. We hope to perfect radar landings so that planes can land every three minutes, which is as fast as under perfectly clear conditions.” ni Mr Henderson said that all the authorities had agreed that it. was possible to maintain the air-lift throughout the winter.