SUPREMACY IN AIR

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 254, 24 September 1940, Page 8

SUPREMACY IN AIR

BID BY BRITAIN

ANSWER TO GERMANY

(United Press Association—Copyright.) LONDON, Sept. 22. That the war will be won in the air has'been a prediction upon which Britain and Germany seem to be in general agreement, but on the question of who will win there is still a difference of opinion. Discussing this question in a broadcast, Mr Oliver Stewart, the well-known authority on air warfare, said that the last few days of the air war had provided confirmation for some of his predictions about German strategy. 'J hey had shown that the Germans were using essentially the same strategy as tnev used on the -ground. When they opened up their air war on Britain on August 11 they attacked ill daylight, using a huge mass of aeroplanes all working together. The Royal Air Force ponncied them drastically and in eight days stopped them. On August 15 the R.A.F. brought down 180 enemy machines, and on August 18 153. There followed a lull, during which the Germans re-formed their units and replenished their supplies. Then came the diffused raids. Massed formations were sent out in just the same way as at the beginning, but on meeting British fighters they split up into many, smaller formations before being intercepted. The R.A.F. quickly found the right tactical reply and in another eight days this form of attack was also stopped.

Then•the Germans tried using a greater proportion or fighters, and included a large number of Messerschmitt Jaguar fighter-bombers with the idea that those machines might he able to fight their 'way through the defences. They had a measure of success. It was a fortnight before the R.A..F. and the ground defences shattered this form ot attack. On September 15 185 enemy machines were brought down. Then came the form of attack Britain was still continuing to get—attacks by single niachines and small formations. This had been going on for some days now and had not been entirely countered, although the new - form of anti-aircraft barrage was a step in the right direction.

ATTEMPT TO FIND WEAK SPOT

All the German methods of attack were designed to find a weak spot m the British defences. The Germans were leaning up against Britain’s air defences just as they leant up againstthe French land defences. When a bulge occurred in the French line it was the signal -for a terrific piling up of effort at that point. The Germans were using the same method in the air attacks on Britain. They were leaning up against Britain’s air defences, pushing hard all the time and watching all the time to see where there were signs of weaknesses. .It they saw any such things, they would rush in everything they had, at that point, just as they did on the ground. They would push frantically to try to make a complete break through. But, said Mr Stewart, they had been leaning for quite a long time now against Britain’s air defences, and not only had they not created a bulge, but they had not even called for Britain s tuli dH'onsiwe strength. The night raids, however, were difficult to counter. Britain would counter them, and already some results had been secured by the ground defences. They were managing to shoot down a few raiders every night, but witter than that would come soon. Mr Stewart 6aid he did liot Think . there was any chance of the night raiding being of much value to the Germans. He did not think the Germans themselves believed in it. and it was worth reminding listeners that the German raiding was a different sort from tbe British. The British selected seltilluminated targets which could be seen at night, but the Germans scattered their boviibs at random and had been hitting targets not distinguishable at-night -in the ordinary way.

CIVIL DEFENCES.

Then again, the British civil defence services had been playing a bigger and bigger part in countering the German bombers. They had been dealing more and more swiftly with fires and so preventing following bombers from using the fires as a guide to their objectives. But the main defences must always be in the air. The ground defences had already done much, by reducing the effects of the German bombs. Mr Stewart said he thought? they could say that the process of leaning against Britain s air defences had shown no signs of a weak spot, but it was essential that their vigilance should lx 1 maintained and they should make prodigious efforts to strengthen their Air Force both in technical quality and in numbers. This really was the best answer to the German air offensive —more and better aeroplanes. The Germans would no doubt- go on, hoping for a sign of weakness, and Britain must go on building up her strength and make it progressively less likAy that there would be any bulge. Air- supremacy, nothing less, was Britain’s objective, and with air and sea supremacy Britain would be half way to victory. Mr Stewart went on to refer to the attacks on Germany by long-range bombers and the attacks on the German invasion bases by other British bombers. As the Germans were leaning against Britain’s defences, so was Britain leaning against Germany’s, but there was this difference—Britain s air strength was mounting more rapidly than that of the Germans, and if a bulge appeared it would be in their line, not in Britain’s. Britain was moving with steadily-increasing speed towards air supremacy, and when that was achieved Britain’s attacks could be made by day as well os by night. There would be a 24-hours’ air offensive against the Germans. Under such conditions the prospects of invasion bv the Germans became very remote. Their enormously long coastline, would t-e turned from an asset into a liability. Mr Stewart said he had often remarked that the war would be won in the air. He did ..not mean it would be won without the Army and the Navy, but simply that absolute, uncbal'eiiged, and unchallengeable air supremacy in all theatres of war. in Britain and in the East, must so limit and confine enemy action that it would be ineffective. It was necessary always to keep the Eastern theatre in view, and it was satisfactory that Britain mnv had many modern types of machines, out there. The bombing of London had made (wo tasks stand out. First, to hold firm with, this air defences and counter every enemy move to break through; second, to’ build on a huge scale.