Spain and China: Intelligence Regarding Air Warfare. Report No.5 Active Air Defence and Passive Air Defence in the Field

2 REPORT No. 5. ACTIVE AIR DEFENCE AND PASSIVE AIR DEFENCE IN THE FIELD IN THE OPERATIONS IN SPAIN FROM JULY 1936 TO DECEMBER 1938 AND IN CHINA FROM JULY 1937 TO DECEMBER 1938. CONTENTS. Preface I.—Greneral considerations— Policy of employment of air power Factors affecting air defence II.—Active air defence of towns— Scale of attack Methods of attack— High and medium level bombing Low level bombing Dive-bombing Methods of obtaining surprise Fighter escorts General air defence organization— Spain China Foreign contingents Local air defence organization— Spain China Observation and warning systems Policy of employment of anti-aircraft batteries Effectiveness of anti-aircraft artillery Control of fighters in local defence Anti-aircraft defence lay-outs Methods of fire and fire control Technical results Casualties caused by anti-aircraft fire Ammunition expenditure III.—Anti-aircraft defence in the field— Scale of attack Methods of attack— Level bombing Low-flying and diving attack with bomb and machine gun Low-flying fighter attack Aircraft escorts for ground attack formations Organization of mobile anti-aircraft defences Mobile anti-aircraft lay-outs Anti-aircraft defence of defensive positions Anti-aircraft defence in forward areas IV.—Anti-aircraft equipment— Lack of information Anti-aircraft guns Predictors Height-finders Searchlights Detection devices Ammunition V.—Passive air defence in the field— Aerodromes Defensive positions Forward areas Road transport in forward areas Darkness Paras.