chia Chungking, Feb. 27.
Japanese losses in aircraft since the start of the Sino-Japanese hostilities have totalled 1,034 machines, according to a spokesman of "he Chinese Air Force. For the period ending December 21, 1938, the number of Japanese aeroplanes shot down in aerial combats was 221, the spokesman stated.
The Chinese Air Force spokesman also gave the following figures regarding losses suffered by the Japanese:
Demolished by Chinese bombing—17 Snot down by anti-aircraft units—
1 Distreyed by land fomes Forced to make a landing in Chi-Destro; Chinese artillery—11:
nese orcas—19; Shot down by Chinese planes, but not located, or forced down in Japenese areas—27:
Losses through accidents—363.
Since January 1 of this year, Japanese losses in aircraft, according to the Chinese Air Force spokesman, so far have totalled 24 machines.—Reuter.
Crushing Chinese Losses Claimed Tokyo, Feb. 27.
China's attempt to rebuild an effective air force suffered a crushing set back in a series of three Japanese army. air against. Lanchow, capital of Kansu and major Chinese aeronautical base, field dispatches summarizing successes, claimed recently, said today. More than 130 Chinese aeroplanes were claimed to have been shot down or disabled as a result of the raids, which cost che Japanese five bombers and 32 lives, these reports said.
Furious air combats, during which Japanese bombers engaged droves of Chinese fighters of Soviet and American origin, featured these raids, in contrast to the almost complete absence of any aerial defence at Lan-is|chow in November last year, when the first attack against that bose was carried out by Japanese army aircraft, the dispatches pointed out. This was attributed to the increasing importance being attached to Lanchow by the Kuomintang high command.
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