The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1943-09-29

Planes Changed
TO Meet Newest
German Tactics
Especial TO Central Press


can be told why American Flying
Fortresses and Liberators have
been able to maintain such a high
batting average against the Ger
man Luftwaffe a and to ~.
Normally, the big bombers carry
13 large caliber machine guns, max
Ing them the most powerfully-arm.
ed planes in the skies.
For a long time after the United
States Air Forces began their raids
on Germany such armament was
lufficlent to keep the Nazis at
respectable distance.
But after paying bloodily for
the experience. Nazi flyers dis
covered a blind spot here and
there. They also learned that, in
order to carry as many bombs as
possible, the heavy bombers were
forced to cut down their supply 81
ammunition
Thus the four-motored Jobs were
unable 10 engage in prolonged dog
fights and the Nazis found it easier
picking il they laid in wait for the
bombers, winging homeward with
much. If not all, OF their ammuni-
ton already expended.
Those happy hunting days did
not last long, however.
Of aN. ane y3,5, the Nazis tore into
a formation of Forts" oIfIy t6-SHnd
the bombers spewing back death
from utterly strange places. And,
on the way home. the bombers
fought off clouds OF interceptors
with apparently inexhaustible ma
chine guns.
In April, May and June. Flying
Fortresses shot down S21 planes
against a loss OF 1873 OF our own.
The anwer:
Very secretly bombers had been
sent TO modification centers and
transformed from the worlds fast
est big bomhers 10 the worlds big
gest fighter planes.
Instead OF carrying bombs TO
Europe, they were loaded down
with guns and ammunition.
The were indistinguishable from
their accompanying bombers. but
carried a far deadlier sting.
In the air forces they are now
known as Flying Hedgehogs".
THE WAR FOOD ADMINISTRA.
TON warns housewives and 9TH
ers interested not to look for any
improvement in the milk supply
situation in November-a month
OF normally low milk production.
Every effort is being made -
spur the nations dairymen on 10
greater production through changes
in the feed situation, or in prices,
but VIA officials say frankly that
the vastly increased consumption
may rLuse every city milk market
TO have more difficulty in finding as
big a supply as last winter.
Expectations are that a milk
sales control order will be in effect
in most cities in the northeast and
along The west coast by Oct. 1.
One way out of the difficulty
which is under consideration is re-
duction Of the amount of milk sold
in restaurants. hotels and other
public establishments.
THE TREASURY came gener-
ously to the rescue OF congressman
Who passed the "pay-as-you.go" tax
bill and were unable to make out
their tentative income tax returns
due September Is
At the behest OF bevildered rep
resen.atives and senators, the
Bureau of Internal Revenue assign.
ed three experts. aided by assist
ants. 10 the Capitol TO show the
legislators how to make out their
returns.
Two OF the experts were given
oflces IN the House ONCE Building,
where they were swamped with re-
quests for appointments from
House members.
The other expert was given IN
Office in the Senate Once Building.
Furthermore. many members OF
Congress wired in for appointments
before returning to Washington for
thu renpening OF the session.
WAR PRODUCTION BOARD Of
hcials have reduced the number OF
glass jars available for such
things as insecticides, ammonia,
paint and various household items
so that there will be enough OF the
. containers to package wanvital
foods.
With tin and steel on the critical
commodities list and with canned
goods going to armed forces abroad
for anti-breskage and other rea.
sons, It looks as II civilians will
find most processed foods in glass
instead OF tin for a long time to
come.