Evening star., 1944-05-09

ficient fighter force to oppose &C.
curate, high level, daylight bomb.
ing, such as was essential If the
plan was to be carried out.
They had every reason to believe
that this force could be maintained
essentially intact - that fighter
losses could be constantly replaced
in the face of whatever damage
could be done from day to day u
production centers.
German industry is ingenious. Il
has shown from time to time an al
most miraculous ability to get on it:
feet after supposedly knockou'
I blows.
But at any cost, If the plan was tt
be carried out, this fighter WALL
must be knocked down. 1t must bt
knocked down so that it could moi
be built up again. This has beer
the essential objective of the great
daylight armadas throughout the
winter and now it is very close tt
attainment. But it must be realized
that it never has been considered
more than preparatory job. The
big objective still is to be attained
1t may be quite easy once the wall
is down.
Must Kill Nazi Aviation.
The objective of the great battles
has been to destroy as many enemy
fighters as possible and, at the same
time, to smash the aircraft industry
SO that they cannot be replaced at
anything like compensatory rate
The major drive to this end may be
said to have gotten under way in
January. At the end of this month
the enemy found for the first time
in the war that they had lost more
fighters than the crippled industry
was able to replace. Still the differ
ence was small. Strenuous efforts
were made to repair the damaged
factories, and with considerable sue
cess.
The chances are there was nc
great concern in Germany over the
titanic battles in the air. The de-
struction other than to fighter pro.
duction plants, 1t must be remem-
bered. was quite incidental. The
German air force still expended Its
fighters with no particular egaro
to economy. Other damage to the
country was none of It's concern
This situation continued through
a good deal of February. The gar
between the losses and the capacity
for immediate replacement was
growing bigger, but not slarmingly
so. The Strategic Air Force was
iwaiting for break. 1t was all sci
to 60. On five successive days In
February the big break came There
were five days of perfect bombing
weather. There was hardly wisI
of cloud between the bombardiers
and their targets. Blow followed
blow in quick succession.
! Unparalleled Air Warfare.
These were days OF activity un-
paralleled in air warfare. Crews
were pressed to the limits cf theil
endurance. For the first time the
German air force found itself ir
the position where there was M
hope of replacing it's losses within
reasonable time.
Specifically, according to the bes
estimates to be had the German
capacity for replacing single -engin,
fighters during March was reduced
in those five days so per cent ant
its capacity for replacing twin-en
) gine fighters as much as 30 pc
cent. Since then not only has j
been possible to prevent any re
cooperation, but the margin between
losses in the air and Replacement
possibilities has been considerabl,
increased.
The results have been stated IL
capacity for replacement a month
ahead 1t is entirely erroneous t.
say that German fighter p"oductio,
capacity has been reduced 10 pc
cent--as If the job was an accom-
pliShed fact and there was nothin,
more to be said about it, Givel
even a few days of rest and mucf
of this capacity could be restored
There is no purpose in underestimat
ing the ingenuity of German engi
neers, now pressed to the point o
desperation. Given q chance ant
they will be making lighters out O
tin cans and baling wire in hors,
sheds. And these may not be such
bad planes.
! NaZi Air Force Stunned.
/ But there is no doubt that tn,
German air force is stunned. TIL,
days Of continuous fine SprinI
weather are at hand. They are no
likely to be given moments respite
The capacity for replacement mus
be cut down to zero and kept there
The latter objective is as importan
as the first. The preliminary phas
of the Strategic Air Forces plal
cannot be considered as accom-
plished while German fighters ar
able to oppose them In carrying ou
the second and vital phaSe-th
phase which they believe will hav
very great Importance in winnin
the war.
One result to date has been. as fre
! quently remarked, that Germany i
. saving its fighters. 1t will have vita
need for them when the second from
starts. 1t needs them now desper
ately to protect primarily the plant
where other fighters can be bull
The assault on other key industries
it must be remembered. as yet hardl
has started
So the Folke- Wulfs and MesSer
schmitts no longer come up to NEE
the bomber armadas unless it is rea
sonably certain that the target
one OF vital Importance. They hard
ly would take to the skies any longe
merely to prevent destruction of
city, per Sc Cities are not eSsentia
to war. Homes may be destroyed
people killed. Theoretically. at leas
the heads OF the LuftWaffe don't Civ
damn. The Strategic Air Fore
wants the Luftwaffe to come up an
fight. Once it gets them in the SIX
it can knock them down, even if