Replies

New Soviet Push – 2-3
British Halt Tanks (Bracker) – 3-4
Nazis Raid London in Extra Strength – 4
Nazis Heavily Hit in Raid on Norway (by John E. Lee, first-time contributor) – 4
Nazis: They Change Goosestep to Shuffle and a City to Ruins (photos) – 5
Three Powers Bar ‘Spheres,’ Plan Joint Watch on Europe (Reston) – 6
War News Summarized – 6
All-Europe Purge of Jews Reported – 7
War Prisoners Receive Red Cross Packages – 7
Yugoslav’s King Calls for a United Front; Officially Recognizes Tito as Patriot Leader – 7
Coming Out of Africa to Pierce Heart of Nazism (photo) – 8
Enemy Quits Vila in Solomons Fight (Kluckhohn) – 9
India Post Reached by Mountbatten – 10
Japan Reports Allied Submarine Sank Ship Off Korea 500 Lost – 10
The Text of the Day’s Communiques on Fighting in Various Zones – 11-13
Tactical Air War Shift (Baldwin) – 13

http://www.onwar.com/chrono/1943/oct1943/f08oct43.htm

Americans troops facing Volturno River
Friday, October 8, 1943 www.onwar.com

A bridge across the Volturno demolished by Germans [photo at link]

In Italy... The British 8th Army captures Larino and Guglionesi, on either side of Biferno. The US 5th Army completes its advance to the Volturno line and plans an attack on the German defenses for October 12th.

headline: "Tactical Air War Shift (Baldwin) – 13 "

"German defenses have been greatly increased in effectiveness in Western Europe; major air strength has been diverted from the Russian front, and there are now far more enemy planes in Western Europe than on any other air front.
There are probably twice as many enemy fighters in Western Europe as there were a year ago...

"...numerous modifications of standard German planes like the ME-410, but no new designs are now in sight."

ME-410, range: 1,400 miles

In October 1943 German introduction of the ME-262 has been delayed by engine problems and by Hitler's interference.
ME-262, range 652 miles:

"Republic P-47 Thunderbolts, which have shot down more than five enemy planes for every Thunderbolt lost and have proved a very effective high-altitude fighter, accompanied the bombers all the way to the target, a round trip of 600 miles.
They probably used detachable gas tanks.

P-47 Thunderbolt, range 800 miles:

"The Lockheed Lightning, for example, has a much longer range than the Thunderbolt..."

P-38 Lightning, range 1,300 miles:

"The problem of fighter protection of our bomber formations is beginning to find some solution."

But not quite just yet.
P-51 Mustang, range 1,650 miles: