The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-12-14
UNITED NATIONS
 HITTING STRIDE
Axis Overall Air Power De- creasing; New Battle
 wagons On Way
By REUEL s. MOORE United Press Staff Correspondent)


 Washington, Dec. 14.-(UP)-A major aerial offensive against the Axis-probably on scale larger than the German "blitz" against Great Britain in l94O-is being pre- pared and when it comes Hitler, Mussolini and Hirohito better take cover, it was indicated today.
 Twice within week, Lieut.. Gen. Henry H. Arnold, commander of the Artny's air forces. has asserted that Axis overall air strength is decreasing while that of the United Nations is just hitting its stride.
 He talked on both occasions of new model American planes that will make 1942 models look like train- ing ships, or firepower that will make existing aerial guns seem pea- shooters, and of bomb loads that will have many times the deStruc- tive power of those of today.
 The American experts have a secret weapon or two up their aerial sleeves, too" and soon will demonstrate them to the Axis, he said.
 Entirely new 'battlewagons' are on the way'-he previously had said the present flying fortresses and liberator bombers perhaps are "the lost of the small bombers."
 Both of Arnold's statements were cautious but optimistic about the future of the aerial phase of the war. One was made last Tuesday at press conference here. The sec- ond came yesterday at Randolph Field, Tex, in a speech to the grad. uating classes of Randolph and three other Texas flying schools. Together they were interpreted here as preliminary to gigantic offen- sive in the air against the Axis especially in the European and Mediterranean theaters, but not overlooking Japan.
 Arnold told the graduating flyers that within few months, the Ger mans and Italians will feel the im- pact of Hundreds of planes drop ping their bombs not on one or two nights week, but every day and night in the week."
 "Well soon put on demonstra- ton for Hitler and Hirohito," he said, land we don't think they are going to like 1t either"
 Here's the picture he drew of the forthcoming air offensive:
 we vii Init their submarines while being constructed on their ways. at their bases and out in the wide oceans. We will hit their transportation facilities their in- dustries, their munitions plants, their airplane and tank factories. Hundreds of thousands of people will have to move from ruined cities to other localities They will real. ize what a true war of today means. Such is the fate that will come to both Germany ard Japan" Statistics cited by Arnold tell best the relative volue of American and Axis planes:
 Army air forces destroyed 928 Axis planes ard probably downed 276 more from Feb. to Dec. 5 of this year. American losses for the same period were i30 known destroyed and l04 p1iss'og craft.
 ITO date we have had over l06S different sorties against the Ger mans ana have lost up to Nov. 30 a totsl of 32 planes" he said. That tota, is for our losses bv both air. craft and anti-aircraft. During these sort'es we have definitely de- stroved 2o3 enemy planes, probably destroyed arother l50 and have damaged le2. That is a record nn- suraled by bombers of any other nation"
 America's aircraft expansion pro- gram will double Its present out put of 4.000 planes month while the Army air force will reech a total of more than 20nn n0n officers and men by the erd of l943.
 T tell YOU now" he said, "that both the German and Jaoauese air forces are on the down grade. They have passed their peak. We are just approa "hing our peak in air. plane production and combat crew training"