The Waterbury Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1917-1946, 1944-01-15

OeS ~ A<-&N A1Ab-
orator heavy bombardment group
can carry out one mission from its
bases in China, the bomber crews
must haul in their own supplies
over what is unquestionably the most
difficult flying terrain in the world,
from Assam in northeastern India to
Running.
OVER THE 'HUMP"
The distance over this route is
not great-only $50 miles. To cover
that distance, however the supply
planes must climb over 1900 foot
high mountains, flying much Of the
time by instruments. This is the
famous hump" about which all fly
ing men from the Asiatic theater
speak with such respect. For rea-
sons Of military security, not a
great deal has been written about
1t. The route was pioneered by Chi
nese National Always Corporation,
the Chinese government-Pan- Amer
lean Airway Company whose civilian
pilots specialize in bad weather fly
ing in DC-3 transports which were
never intended for such service.
Opening Of this air route was
necessary after the Japs cut off
China's outlet through Hong Kong
and closed the Burma road by their
Burmese invasion up from Singa-
pore. Today the ssam-Kunming
hop Is a regular route for the Army
Transport Service, whose command
ing general, Harold L. George, re-
Gently revealed that more freight
is now being carried over this route
by air than was formerly carried
over the Burma road by truck.
When Maj. Gen. Lewis H. Brere-
ton and his men first arrived in
India from Java in March, 1912,
they found a total Of 10 airdromes
in the entire sub-continent, Cen
eral Arnold discloses. Up to that
time, the British in India had as
sumed that their only danger lay
to the northwest, through the Khy-
Der Pass.
When the Japs came in from the
east, the British were caught to-
tally unprepared. In the complete
readjuStment Of defenses, 1t was nee
essary to build new airdromes. Tea
lands were cleared for flying fields
and runways were painfully built
with rocks taken from the river
bottoms and carried in baskets on
the heads of coolies. Stone rollers.
pushed and pulled by coolies, were
used to pack down the rock. Only
when the chain of airfields was
built could the supply line really get
going.
FOUR-TON LOAD
Today, B-24 Liberator. which Is
the equivalent of a C-87 transport
plane, can haul four tons Of 100
octane gasoline over the hump in
one trip. Four tons equals % steel
drums OF AZ gallons, each, or a total
OF l176 gallons. But to get this
four tons OF gas over the hump. the
plane burns up three-and- half
tons or 1929 gallons of gas.
For a 2600-mile fight, which Is
maximum range for B-24, 1t car
ries 1900 gallons Of gas. Hence,
to get enough gas for its bombing
missions the crew must make three
trips over the hump, and another
trip for the four tons of bombs
which the plane will carry on its
raid.
This same thin aerial supply line
over the hump. must also be main
tanned for the combat planes in
Maj.-Gen. Claire L. Channault's
l4th Air Force. Fighting aerial
guerrilla warfare, General Chen
nault's fighters up to the end of
October had shot down 1851 enemy
planes, against a loss Of only So OF
their own planes, an unequaled FIVE
to-one record, while defending the
terminal air transport bases. But
even though this air transport to
China is essential, says General
Arnold, there is no intention OF al
lowing Asiatic mainland operations
to remain on the level OF guerrilla
warfare.