AERIAL BATTLE

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21280, 26 November 1940, Page 6

AERIAL BATTLE

THE THIRD PHASE IN INDEFINITE STAGE THE NAZI METHOD (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrlg-ht) LONDON, Nov. 24 The third phase of the great aerial battle may be said still to be in the indeterminate stage. The first stage, consisting of a German effort to apply the overwneiming weight of bomber attack to Britain which had succeeded so well against numeri-cally-inferior fighter opposition when carried out in close co-operation with ground forces, appears to have been at last recognised as a failure, when the army was unable immediately to follow in the path of the bomber. This lesson has caused Germany not only the loss of a great number of aeroplanes and an even greater number of most valuable airmen, but has also imposed on her the necessity of learning a new conception of the use of the air arm. In this, she had the advantage of the practical demonstration given by the Royal Air Force, which carreid out extremely j destructive night raids over industrial Germany some months before the German air force had sufficiently trained crews to be able to venture forth in the darkness. What may be regarded by future military historians as the intermediate phase shows signs of coming to an end. Attack on civil populations, either by propaganda or violence as occasion serves, is a common form of Nazi technique, and this, couple with the vast area of London as a target, may have given the German air command the idea of endeavouring to combine a serious offensive against the civil will, which, after all, is the foundation of military power, with the secondary object of training crews in the difficult operation of night bombing, knowing from their own experience that so far the advantage still rests with the attacker. This form of warfare and training could be carried out in comparative safety. Attacks on Industry The events of the last two weeks may show that the Germans have realised that their effort to break London’s morale has failed, but, having in the process got together at least the nucleus of a trained night bomber force, a long-term policy of attacking war industry at its source has been adopted. Some observers consider the attack on Coventry may be the first manifestation of this policy being put into operation, and cite the subsequent attacks on selected towns in support of the contention. However this may be, both sides are vitally concerned with finding an adequate defence to night bomber attack, and for the moment the problem has passed more into the hands of scientific and engineering experts than those of combatant air commands. Many competent observers regard the solution of this problem as being the same decisive answer as was given the German daylight bombers —by efficient, well-handled fighter aeroplanes. While admitting that anti-aircraft fire has forced raiders to fly at great altitudes, and also that gunnery is becoming more and more accurate, these circles contend that ground defence by itself will not accomplish very much more. They say the principle of success lies in “ seeking out the enemy and destroying him,” and for this purpose he must be tackled in the element in which he is operating—in other words, fighters by night is the answer to the bomber by night. The Final Problem The initial part in finding the ideal aeroplane for this work lies with technicians, and the problems facing them are those of visibility, range armament and ability to attain very high speed in the air and also sufficiently slow landing-^peed. The final problem, and probably the most difficult to solve, is that of finding the enemy at night. It is sometimes not realised, especially by town dwellers and those used to wellilluminated vehicles, how extremely difficult it really is to see in the dark. A, blind man, however, relies a great deal on sound, and in this direction it is probable that the solution lies. A long time, however, stretches between theory and practice, and even longer between prototype and production. Defence will be a gradual process, and no sudden solution can be expected.