AIR LOSSES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 July 1943, Page 3

AIR LOSSES

DURING TOTAL WAR PERIOD BALANCE MUCH AGAINST AXIS. IN SPITE OF BOMBER COST OF OFFENSIVE. LONDON, July 2. In nearly four years of war, the Axis has lost 18,000 aircraft on fronts where the R.A.F. has been operating. The R.A.F. losses, including those of United States planes where they have been fighting side by side, are 9,900 planes—-not much more than half the enemy's losses. These figures were given officially in London tonight.

Over 4,000 of the enemy planes have been destroyed over this country. Over Europe., on the Western front, but not including French and American operations, the Axis have lost 4,000 and the R.A.F. 6,000. ‘ Most of the R.A.F. losses have been in the. ever-growing offensive against the Germans. In the Middle East 3;500 Axis planes have been destroyed, in Tunisia 2,000 and in the Far East, India and the Pacific 4,000. The Middle East losses include Malta successes—l2oo German and Italian raiders brought down. The figure of 18,000 does not take into account 1,000 aircraft shot down by the guns of the Royal Navy, the German losses on the Russian front or against the French on the Western front.

In a survey to June 22, covering two years of war, the Russians have claimed the destruction of 43,000 enemy planes, against Soviet losses of 23,000.