Young Eyes

Home last week from the air war over Britain came one of the many high-ranking U.S. observers who have flitted in & out of the war zone. To reporters Major General Henry H. ("Hap") Arnold, onetime Chief of Air Corps, now a Deputy Chief of Staff of the U.S. Army, was mum on military matters (he may have cruised over Occupied France and Germany in a British bomber, as U.S, observers are authorized to do). But his return was signalized by an official announcement that several young U.S. pilots will soon get a chance to see that war. This was first-rate news for the U.S. Army. Many a capable young German got a useful education by similar excursions to Spain when Hitler was lending aid to Franco.

The U.S. pilots of fighting age and temper who, the War Department announced, are also going to Great Britain for duty as observers are young lieutenants --mostly under 25. When they finish their tours abroad, they will know something firsthand about air fighting in modern war. The War Department said that they would do their observing both in multi-seated bombers and in pursuit planes (Spitfires, Hurricanes, etc.). Pursuit observers cannot expect diplomatic immunity from the Luftwaffe, for Spitfires and Hurricanes have only one seat. Already, according to a British account, one U.S. observer who took a Spitfire up for a trial run found a Messerschmitt on his tail, had to shoot it down to save his own skin (TIME, Dec. 2).

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