Evening star., 1951-09-11

map OF Cne NORTHWEST ana YuKOl
districts of Canada.
In addition to the aerial work
the r. c. A. F. during the summer
established approximately 20 ra.
dar station sites above and below
the Arctic Circle and put ir
temporary radar stations to test
the suitability of these location.
for both radar transmission anc
reception.
Oficials estimate it will take
another two to three summers o1
intensive. round-the-clock flying
for the airmen to cover every inch
of the vast northern wasteland OF
Canada. Eventually, they will fly
close to the North Pole to record
this mystery land.
In addition to these "activated''
air fields there are numerous
other 'dromeS, now abandoned
which were constructed by the
United States in the last war as
refueling depots and casualty
clearing stations for battlefield
victims from the European and
Asiatic theaters. Hostilities ended
before many Of these bases were
put in service, but they still are
in comparatively good condition,
many with fairly serviceable
buildings and runways.
Nucleus for System.
These, plus the r. c. A. F. field
now in use, could form the nucleus
for a greater and more powerful
fringe of bristling airdromes across
the top of the North American
Continent. Canada and the United
States have ear-marked stagger-
ing amounts to finance continental
defense preparations. There is no
doubt that these sites are figuring
prominently in these plans.
It is apparent that the fighter
interceptor groups which will use
these airfields will be a composite
of both U. S. A. F. and r. C. A. F.
planes with the latter using the
new F-86 Sabres which are rolling
off Canadian production lines in
Montreal and have been tested in
Sub-zero Arctic conditions.
The U. S. A. F's main defense
aircraft on service in Alaska at
present is the radar-equipped all
weather night fighter, the F-94.
Some American officials have de-
clared this plane already is OBJ
solete and it will be replaced
shortly by a newer design of
greater flying range and better
armament.
Now for the radar part of the
defense scheme.
AS far as can be learned through
official and semioficial channels
in Ottawa, Canada will contribute
the sites and aid in their construc-
tion and maintenance while the
United States will install the de-
lection stations and man them
with its own radar specialists.
Two Avenues of Air Attack.
The location Of all interceptor
and radar sites, naturally, is a
closely guarded secret but recently
Canada's defense minister, Brooke
Claxton, dropped hint. In an
address before an Ottawa service
club he indicated that the concen-
tration would be along the extreme
West and East coasts-the likely
avenues Of invasion should q
shooting war break out with the
Soviet Union.
This is how he explained it:
There are two avenues of air
attack which are considered most
likely. 1855
"The first might be from the
Northwest-from Siberia-swing-
ing across Alaska. either east of
the Rockies into the industrial
centers or to the West Coast cities.
"The second approach might be
from Northern Europe across Ice
land, the tip of Greenland, Labra-
dor and the Gulf of st. Lawrence
and down to the industrial centers.
1T is believed that the Russians
are making atom bombs. If this is
so, they may have Is or they may
have more. They have four
engined aircraft of the B-29 type
with notifications. These aircraft
could bring atomic bombs to any
part of North America on a one
way trip.
with refueling in the air or on
the ground. they might make al
two-way trip"
This ION the ground" part of
II