The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1943-06-19


This is the latest type of Mes
serschmitt fighter, known as the
100 CO.. Air Forces experts adj
nit it is "hoto stuff" and that it
is causing casualties when big for
nations of Flying Fortresses pen
citrate German skies without fight
er protection.
The German fighters are not
better than the American Light
nings or Thunderbolts, or than
British Spitfire, but American and
British fighters can't be there to,
carry out the comparison. When
U. S. bombers make their daylight
raids on the Continent, they pen
citrate farther than fighter planes,
with limited range, can fly.
Thus the bOmbers must de-
pend on their own guns and
their own armOr. They fly at
225 to $50 miles an hour, COM
pared with $50 to 800 made by
the German fighters.
The Nazi gun which is doing
most of the damage is 20 nm
cannon which fires at the rate
of 700 shells per minute. (But it
can fire for only a few seconds at
time, then must stop to cool
Off.
NEED LONG RANGE FIGHTERS
Both the Messerschmitt and the
Focke-Wulf fighters are reported
to have been improved this spring
over the models which gave U. S.
airmen plenty of trouble last fall.
The Focke-W is believed to have
speed of 800 mph, and carries
cannons and two machine guns,
while the Messerschmitt has also
been brought up to the 800 speed
with similar armament.
Airmen who are planning the
big show over the continent this
summer insist that the loss of &c
bombers in a single day is not
alarming, in view of the results.
These results are: a. Destruction
of industrial targets; (2) Destruc-
tilon of German aircraft; 81
Withdrawal of German planes
from other fronts, especially the
Russian front, for the defense of
the west.
1t does not follow, however, that
U. S. raids will continue to be as
costly as the one over Kiel on the
unlucky day of June 10. Obvious
answer to these losses is the long
range fighter urged upon the Air
Corps several years ago by Major
de Seversky, who was soundlyq re-
buffed by the brass-hats.
Perhaps now, eight years af-
ter Seversky urged it, long
range fighter may be developed
to accompany bOmbers and ward
off Germany's deadly new fight
er plane.
WHITE HOUSE GRASS
Many a household argument
has developed over whether it's
necessary to remove the grass cut
tings after moving the lawn
either by catching the cutting in
a carrier or by raking the lawn
afterWard.
Here is the answer of William
Reeves, White House gardener:
The best system is to keep
the grass short by cutting it at
least once a week. Then you
won't have to rake up the clip
pings. But If the grass gets too
tall, the cuttings will lie there
and burn out" the lawn.
Gardener Reeves explains that
as grass grows tall it becomes ten
der, and, after a cutting, the hot
sun burns it up.
You can save lot of raking or
hard pushing if you will set the
lawnmoWer blades high-about Ia
or 2 inches from the bed knife to
the surface of the ground-and
cut the lawn at lyeaSt once week.
Then the grass cuttings can be
allowed to lie without interfering
with the growth of the lawn. In
fact they will form a mulch or fer
tilizer. But if the cuttings are
long enough to lie on top and turn
brown, then they should be raked
off.
AS for the White House lawn
Gardener Reeves admits that the
wet weather has brought up a
crop of weeds which his short
handed staff can't cope with. 1--WE
haven't quite enough help" hi
says, "tO keep the lawn as We
would like to. But in wartime,
suppose you have to sacrifice looks
a little Bit"
PRODUCTION SHORTCOMINGS
The Senate War Mobilization
Committee, headed by Senate
Harley M. Kilgore of West Vir
| oinia will take a heftv indirec