Evening star., 1943-06-03

Bitter Aerial Warfare
Growing on Soviet
Eastern Front
BY the Associated Press.
A force of about 500 German
planes attacked the Russian
base at Kursk yesterday after
noon and at least 1913 were shot
down, the Russians announced
in Moscow today, signalling
new and growing phase of the
bitter aerial battle on the east
ern front.
The Nazi air fleet represented the
largest single mass the Germans
have concentrated in any sector for
months and their reported losses
marked one Of the biggest single
days bags in any theater of aerial
war
A Moscow broadcast said 80 of the
raiders were brought down by Soviet
pilots In air duels and that anti
aircraft guns shot down 30 more.
after some planes got through to the
city "and haphazardly dropped
bombs which inflicted material dam
age and casualties
The Russians said they lost 80
planes and declared the tally of
Nazi victims was incomplete
1000 Germans Killed.
The Soviet noon communique as
recorded by the Soviet radio monitor
in London said 81 German planes
were shot down in the Kuban VAL
ley northeast of Novorossisk yester-
day. Land action was minor except
on the Kalinin front. where 1000
Germans were killed in a two-day
battle after thrust that temporarily
dented Russian defenses, the war
bulletin said.
Today's German communioue as
serted that the Germans were en-
gagged in heavy defensive fighting in
their Kuban bridgehead and that
"thrusts and attempts at piercing
the German lines, made by Soviet
infantry and tanks, collapsed in con-
centrated fire or else were
smashed before the troops were de-
ployed for attack"
The communique said strong
German battle plane formations had
considerable share in this defen-
sive success"
Nazi air attacks on railway in
stallations near Kursk were ex-
tremely heavy, and German shock
troops blew up numerous Russian
dugout positions. the Germans said.
They also asserted 83 Russian planes
were shot down yesterday. The COM
munique was recorded by the Asso-
cited Press from a Berlin broadcast.
Three Towns Recaptured.
The Russian communlque an
nounced three towns were recap
tured by the Russians in fighting
around Sevsk 80 miles northwest
of Kursk.
The Finnish communique. broad
cast by the Berlin radio and record
ed by the Associated Press, said
three bombers and three fighters
were shot down out OF a Russian
formation of IA bombers and like
number Of fighter planes in clash
east of Suuarsaari yesterday.
One damaged Finnish plane man.
aged to reach its lines before land
ing, it was said. Anti-aircraft guns
foiled Russian attempt to bomb
Kota. the Firms declared.
Kursk was recaptured by the Rus
slams in their winter offensive last
February 8, along with Belgorod,
30 miles south. Its capture preceded
the winning of Kharkov, l2O miles
south. When the Germans surged
back into the Donets Valley in mid
March, they were unable to regain
Kursk. although they took Kharkov
and Belgorod and famed down the
curve of the Donets River to the
southeast.
The area is key to the swaying
battle for the Ukraine and the Don
4 eo odoAAl lOlll tllC 0Cl LldIlS
launched last summer the drive
which carried to Stalingrad
Both sides have huge forces mar
shalled in the region and the
strength of the sky forces are held
here to be a matching of power in
an effort to gain air supremacy be-
fore any far-reaching land battle
begins.
Rail Junction Battered.
The Russians, still held of at
Smolensk. battered that railway
junction from the air Tuesday night
and also hit rail stations and am
munition dumps at Karachev and
Krasny Bor, 1t was announced.
Elsewhere on the Aerial front. the
midnight communique said. Is Ger
man planes were shot down In at
tempted raids on Leningrad, while
the Pravda correspondent reported
thousands of flights take place
daily" in the Kuban Valley area.
Meantime, reports from the Baltic
Red Navy feet said increased ac-
tivity was welcomed by the. sub
marine and mine sweeping crews,
ice bound through the winter, and
that the fleet itself was going to
sea with new types Of equipment
furnished by the Allies.
The mine sweeper crews call the
Baltic soup with kletzki'-soup
with meat balls, in reference to the
number OF mines floating tn its
waters.