Fighter Planes in the Pacific

Southland Times, Issue 24819, 11 August 1942, Page 4

Fighter Planes in the Pacific

AMERICAN war correspondents have lately drawn attention to the need for better fighter planes on the North Australian front. The Japanese Zero has been repeatedly mentioned as a formidable opponent: indeed, so much has been said about this machine that newspaper readers may be wondering if the enemy has produced something superlatively good. Mr William Dunn, correspondent of the Columbia broadcasting system, was reported on Saturday to have quoted comments by American pilots. “The Zeros have a higher operation ceiling than the ships these lads are using,” he said. “The Japanese know it, and are always taking advantage of it.” This story has been heard before; yet the fact remains that Zeros have usually been beaten when they encountered the P4O (the Tomahawk) or the P4OE (the Kittyhawk). In China, for instance, the American Volunteer Group destroyed more than 300 Japanese planes and lost only 16 of their own. It is true that the Zero can outclimb the Tomahawk. But the P4O is faster, can out-dive the Zero, and is able to stand much more punishment.

Similarly, it was claimed that the P 39, the Airacobra, climbed too slowly at high altitudes, and could therefore be easily out-manoeuvred by the Japanese. Yet American pilots shot down eight Zeros in their first combat, and brought all their Airacobras safely home. Latest proof of the vulnerability of the Zero came yesterday in a report that seven out of 20 Japanese fighters were destroyed by heavy bombers in air battles over the Solomon Islands. Flying Fortresses can climb even higher than the Zeros, although they are not nearly as fast. But operational flights are not all at high altitudes. There are many occasions when fighters must go into action at low levels if they are to perform their work of interception. Most of

the Zeros may have been destroyed in those circumstances. They will continue to be dangerous in fighter combats, however, until machines with a higher ceiling can be used against them. Those planes are already being produced. The twinengined P3B (Lightning) is said to have an excellent altitude performance, great speed and crushing gunpower. Even better, according to expert opinion, is the P 47 (Thunderbolt), described by one commentator as a 2000 horse-power monster which “climbs like a home-sick angel.” Both these planes are on their way to the battle-fronts. When they go into action the Japanese will ■have to look around for something better than the Zero.