NAZI AIR DEFEATS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 250, 19 September 1940, Page 9

NAZI AIR DEFEATS.

UNSUCCESSFUL TACTICS. R.A.F. READY FOR MORE. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, Sept. 17. ' Reviewing -the experience of the past few weeks, air experts express growing confidence in the ability or the Royal Air Force to defeat any fresh tactics which the German Air Force may attempt, and to do so just as effectively as the answer has been found to the Luftwaffe s daylight raids. Meanwhile, the Germans night raids have proved to be incapable or doing any real military damage, and it is now considered clear that the German Air Force has suffered from a lack of men skilled in night-flying. Events have established that when forces of daylight raiders are sent over in such force as might effect important damage, anything up to 50 per cent, of them are destroyed. The enemy has failed to defeat the t R.A.I'. in these daylight raids, in spite of frequent marked changes in the pattern of attack. The high-flying bombers with layers of fighters stepped up round them were quite unsuccessful. 'The mixed formations of bombers and fighters spreading fanwise on reaching the English coast were turned back with heavy losses, and the few which actually got through were insufficient in numbers in any one area to undertake any concentrated bombing. The next change in tactics was the employment of large waves of bombers following one another in quick succession, and it was obviously hoped that the later waves would take the defences unawares. This has proved disastrous, as the week-end engagements, including Sunday’s colossal defeat, have shown.

CONFIDENCE HIGH. There is some speculation as to what new experiment in daylight raids will be attempted, but confidence is high that whatever form it may take the R.A.F. will be ready to meet it. As for the night-bombing, it so far has failed in the much-advertised aims of disorganising communications, civilian and military, and terrorising the civil population. Meanwhile tho British fighter losses have been relatively small, while half of the pilots shot down have survived and are still fighting. The authorities, it may be added, are well satisfied with the rate of aircraft production and With the progress of the Empire training scheme, with its vast promise of a steady flow of personnel and reinforcements. A feature of the R.A.F.’s constant raids over enemy and enemy-occupied territory has been tho low rate of loss, and the British bomber strength has scarcely been affected in consequence. The effectiveness of these regular incursions into enemy territory is not open to doubt, and the extent of the raids is most readily appreciated when they are reviewed over a period of a week. TARGETS IN GERMANY.

Between September 8 and 14 (inclusive) the, raids on Germany and the occupied territory included 42 attacks on rail systems in Germany, Belgium and occupied France, two raids on oil tanks, two attacks on aircraft works, three raids on ammunition stores, three raids on factories and a blast furnace, two raids on the Brussels power station, one on gasworks in Berlin. There were, 15 raids on German aerodromes, three on aerodromes in Belgium, two on aerodromes in Holland. Also there were 44 raids on. German and German-occupied docks, including in Germany, Hamburg two, Bakhaen two, Altona three. Wilhelmshaven three, Kiel, Hansafen and Wismar; and in the occupied countries, Ostend six Calais six, Boulogne five, Flushing four, Dunkirk two, Antwerp two and Dalfrijl 25. Attacks were made. on barge concentrations,. and two raids were made on canal and river systems, 11 on shipping -three on the gun emplacements on Cape Gris-Nez, and three on antiaircraft batteries and searchlights.