Evening star., 1944-01-16
Third Of RoyoI Nays Flyers Troinine in U. S.
With View to Anglo -Amercon Attacks on Jups

\ One-third Of the Royal Nays
flyers now are being trained in the
United States, primarily with the
view Of future joint feet operations
against the Japanese, the British
announced last night.
Capt. Caspar John, naval air rep
resentative of the British Admiralty
Delegation here, also disclosed that
American made, carrier based
planes have had a preliminary test
with Nazi land-based fighters in a
brush in the North Sea.
Capt. John, at press conference,
gave no details of the North Sea
fight in which American Grumman
Avenger torpedo planes were flown
by British pilots from British car
yier.
Night Attacks Developed.
The British officer said that as
the Pacific war goes on, he expected
an increasing number Of battles be-
tween carrier and land-based planes.
The Japanese, he said, are concen-
trating on developing night torpedo
air attacks, with carriers as their
main targets. The Allies, however,
he said, have found something that
might be successful in combating
the night assaults.
The British "aim to operate night
fighters from carriers" but the tech
nical problems involved are extreme
ly complicated, he said. adding that
Developments in radar are very
helpful in defeating night attack"
The eventual need for close CO.
operation on an extensive scale be-
tween British and American navies
in the Pacific was a major factor
in the decision to train large num-
ber of naval flyers in this country,
Capt. Ladd said. The training pro-
gram began in 1912 and only re-
Gently did the program reach the
point where the British could form
fleet air arm flying squadrons here.
Capt. John, who recalled that
British naval flyers formerly were
taught not to fight land-based craft,
said he hoped the British would
soon have a chance to try American
Grumman Hellcats and Vought Cor
sairs against land fighters. The
United States under lend-lease is
supplying Britain with five types of
naval planes-Avengers, Hellcats,
Corsairs, Grumman Wildcats and
Curtiss Helldivers.
British Use U. S. Flat Tops.
Some of these planes have been
used by the British Navy in the At
lantic war against the U-boat. The
British are using American-built
baby fiat tops as we'll as their own
large carriers.
Any remaining discrepancies be-
tween the fighting qualities of the
best carrier-based and land biased
fighter planes are disappearing
Capt. John added.
The British flying students here
are trained by Americans. On ar
rival they 60 to the naval air sta
ton at Crosse lie, Detroit, where
they undergo three months primary
training, then pass on to inter
neulate training at the naval air
station at Pensacola, Fla, for four
months.
The students who survive these
courses are given temporary COM
missions and chosen for specialized
fighter, torpedo or dive bomber
courses. They are paid by the Brit
ish Admiralty.
The whole course is attended by
close coordination between British
and American navies. The training
plan is known as the Towers Scheme.
1t was worked out four years ago
oy wee Admiral Sir Arthur Lyster.
then Fifth Sea Lord, and Vice Ad-
miral John H. Towers, then chief
OF the Bureau of Aeronautics, now