Evening star., 1941-01-09
British Planes Battle
Against Great Odds
In Albanian War
ItuIiuns Still Able
To Send Large Numbers
OF Craft Into Action
By JAMES ALDRIDGE.

bN J1N1Lo thLbhID0L.
WITH THE GREEK ARMY ON
THE ALBANIAN FRONT, Jan. 7
(By wireless, delayed) The skies
have been clearing up over Albania
during the last four days, but there
has been only slight military actlv-
ity And while snow is on the
ground and the mud lasts there is
little chance for any big change IN
the positions of the Greek and Ital-
Ian armies.
The air war here has picked up
where it left off a couple Of weeks
ago. The outcome of local decisions
may depend on this renewed air ac-
tivity Certainly with troops mark
ing time there is a golden oppurtu-
nifty for a Knockout blow from the
air forces. During the new few
weeks it will increase.
The italian high command is still
able to send large numbers OF bomb
ers. escorted by fighters, ranging
along the entire front line and sup
plying the rear. Their hit-and-run
tactics from near their bases give
them a chance to put each plane in
the air twice. and often three times.
There is seldom a moment curing
clear day when the hum of planes
cannot be heard.
Escorted by Fighter Units.
italian bombers are always es-
corted by strong fighter units. Most
Of their bombers are S-79s and the
fighters, CR-42s. They form a
strong combination. They operate
well together, having about equal
speed. but the fighters are faster
climbers. I believe they operate in
the same bomber escort flight each
time. AS a combination they are
hard to break.
The British Gladiators are more
or less of the same shape and size
as the CR-42s and their perform
ance Is similar, too. They are good
for intercepting these Italian forma-
tions, but they have tough job to
do. Their first job is to knock down
italian bombers, but there usually
are so many Italian fighters with
these bombers that the British are
outnunbered and it is physically
impossible to cope with both bomber
and fighter.
have watched many of these air
battles develop here and mostly they
60 the same way. The Italian S-79s
come over at 10000 feet. with
fighter escort 5000 feet above them.
That's when the bombers get away.
The Gladiators have given all their
attention to attacking and destroy
ing the fighters.
Bombers Get Away.
A battle royal develops between
fighter planes while the bombers
sneak off and do their job. They
get away because a Gladiator must
leave a bomber to fight a fighter.
The ideal here would be a plane
that could cope with both and so
prevent the bomber from escaping,
because the bomber is the principal
objective Of the British planes.
There is only one plane that could
do this-the Defiant. 1t is two
scatter fighter, fairly maneuverable
and faster than either the 79s or
the AIS. I believe this plane would
change the aspect of the air war
here and possibly the entire war in
Albania. This plane was well tried
under similar circumstances over
Dunkerque and the effect was as
toniShing. Soon we may have SINH
lar air circumstances here and the
Defiant may be an answer to them.
Could Cope With Attack.
I first saw a Defiant take to the
sir couple Of years ago in England
I watched it go through its PAGES
and know what it can do. I have
even personally flown a Gladiator
and know the capacity of this
plane. Therefore, I know roughly
that under similar circumstances of
the air battle described that the
Defiant could cope with the bomber
and fighter.
Meeting an italian formation it
could dive on the bomber with the
same initial effect as the Gladiator.
The CR-42s could follow the De-
fants, but the latter planes four
rear guns-equal in range and field
of fire to the 42s-could cope easily
with an attack from behind This
would leave the Defiant pilot free to
chase the bomber continuously with
out worrying about what is behind
him, knowing that he is protected.
Actually the ideal would be COM
bined fights of Deflants and Gladia-
tors. The Defiants could look after
the bombers and any stray Italian ,
plane that managed to get on its tail
while the Gladiators kept a ma jority
of the fighter escort busy.
Bigger Attacks Soon.
] mention this now because soon
the destruction of bombers will be
the principal job in this war. There
will be bigger air attacks soon. The
land forces. tied up in stationary
positions. depend on supply services
in order to hold these positions.
Therefore, the war moves to the rear
on the supply lines and supply bases.
This means airplaneS, and plenty of
them, for an attack.
For the task given them and the
material force to accomplish it with,
Gladiator pilots in Greece have done
a superman job. They have fought |
every time against tremendous odds. |
And they have been victors in every
battle. But the stage of war they
had to cope with is almost over. AS
the air war enters its second stage