THIS DOCUMENT IS THE PROPERTY OF HIS BRITANNIC MAJESTY'S GOVERNMENT

Printed for the Cabinet. January 1949

SECRET

D.O. (49) 6

28th January, 1949

Copy No. [printed by office] 1

CABINET

Defence Committee

BERLIN AIR LIFT

NOTE BY THE MINISTER OF DEFENCE

I think my colleagues will be interested in the attached report on an appreciation forwarded by General Robertson to the chiefs of staff summarising the achievements of the Berlin Air Lift.

A.V. A.

Ministry of Defence, S.W. 1, 28th January, 1949.

ANNEX

During the three months September–November 1948, the average daily air lift into Berlin has been 4,458 short tons (2,000 lb. per short ton), of which the British lift has averaged 1,095and the United States 3,363 short tons. General Robertson has sent the chiefs of staff an appreciation prepared jointly by the Commanding General, United States Air Forces in Europe, and the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, British Air Forces of occupation, showing the present and planned effectiveness of the air lift, with particular reference to the British effort, and examining whether sufficient aircraft are being used to guarantee a daily average lift of 5,620 short tons, which figure the writers have taken as the average daily need of the Western Sectors of Berlin.

2. The Americans are using 225 C54 (Skymaster) aircraft on the lift, giving a potential daily lift of 6,487 tons in 675 trips. Excluding ten Sunderland and Hythe-type flying-boats which cannot be used during the winter, we are using 131 aircraft, Royal Air Force and civil, of eight different types with a potential daily lift of 1,481 short tons. By using more civil machines it is planned to increase the number of British aircraft to 152 with a potential daily lift of 1,967 tons in 340 trips.

3. Except for civilian Tudors, only four of which are being used at present, the American Skymasters are the biggest load carriers with an average load carried of 9.7 short tons. Most of the British element Dakotas are carrying only about a third of this weight. The average load carried per trip by British aircraft has worked out at 5.7 short tons.

4. The American aircraft operate from Rhein/Main and Wiesbaden in the American Zone and Fassberg in the British Zone. Because of the shorter distance to be flown the aircraft operating from Fassberg average approximately 50 per cent. greater lift than those based in the American Zone. The British aircraft are all based in the British Zone at Wunsdorf, Lubeck, Schleswigland and Fulhasbuttel.

5. In the past the two original airfields in Berlin, Gatow in the British Sector and Templehof in the American Sector, have been able to receive all the aircraft which it has been possible to fly in under good conditions. When conditions are bad, the rate of acceptance has to be reduced for safety reasons, but the opening of a new airfield at Tegel in the French Sector and the introduction of a new approach control in the Berlin area should overcome this to some extent.

6. So far this winter, the weather has been worse than average, particularly as regards fog in the Frankfurt area. However, November and December are usually the worst months, so an improvement is expected. Any reduction in the rates of acceptance at the Berlin airfields results in the loss of potential lift. In order to obtain the maximum lift possible at any one time the aircraft carrying the smallest loads, i.e., the Royal Air Force Dakotas, have to be grounded to allow the greatest possible use of the heavier aircraft.

7. Similarly, as the back-loading of freight and passengers from Berlin entails an increased time in turnround in Berlin and unloading at home bases, Royal Air Force Dakotas have been used for it as far as possible.

8. Because of the deliberate loss of the Dakotas effort, as explained in the two preceding paragraphs, and because the Americans have more ground crew per aircraft than we have, the American aircraft have flown longer hours than ours. It is estimated that during January, weather and other factors will reduce the potential Skymaster lift from 6,487 short tons per day to 4,151 short tons in 433 trips. This reduction should become less in subsequent months. The estimated lift of the British aircraft during January is 1,023 short tons per day in 177 trips. The estimated lift for January, therefore, works out at 5,174 short tons daily as against the requirement of 5,620 short tons, a deficiency of some 450 short tons. In subsequent months, with more American and British aircraft and with the prospect of better weather, it is estimated that the lift will meet the average daily requirement.

9. On this basis, the stocks in Berlin of essential commodities as at the beginning of January, February and March are estimated as follows:–

1. Food (Short Tons/In Days 58,000/40 (1st Jan.); 44,000/30 (1st Feb.); 31,000/21(1st Mar.) 2. Coal (all types) (Short Tons/In Days) 77,000/23 (1st Jan.); 70,000/22 (1st Feb.); 65,000/21 (1st Mar.) 3. Petrol (Short Tons/In Days) 1,900/78 (1st Jan.); 1,850/77 (1st Feb.); 1,800 /75 (1st Mar.) 4. Diesel (Short Tons/In Days) 1,750/37 (1st Jan.); 1,700/35 (1st Feb.); 1,650/34 (1st Mar.) 5. Newsprint (Short Tons/In Days) 250/8 (1st Jan.); 500/16 (1st Feb.); 750/24 (1st Mar.)

10. The appreciation examines three ways in which the British lift might be increased:–

(a) More Aircraft.–If more aircraft are provided they can only be used to saturate the Berlin airfields in good weather. As the present numbers are not being fully used, it would not be economical merely to increase the present strength.

(b) Heavier Aircraft. –An increase lift would be gained if the Dakotas, who have a maximum pay load of 7,000 lb. Could be replaced by Hastings carrying 14,000–16,000 lb. or other similar heavy aircraft.

(c) Better Use of existing Aircraft.–The practicability of operating all aircraft from the British Zone in a continuous stream, instead of the ‘time block’ system, might result in better use of aircraft. This can only be determined after further experience of the flow system recently introduced by the Americans.

11. The writers of the appreciation recommend:–

(a) That there should be no increase in the number of British aircraft.

(b) That Dakotas should be replaced by Hastings as these become available. This recommendation is being examined in the Air Ministry, but the Chief of Air Staff has said that at first sight it appears that there might be many difficulties in implementing it. The conversion of the existing squadrons from Dakotas, which are two-engined American aircraft, to Hastings, which are four-engined British aircraft, would take some time and would probably mean that, initially, there would be a drop in the capacity of the British lift.

(c) That a new base in the British Zone capable of handling approximately 30 Skymasters should be prepared for use by some of the aircraft now based in the Frankfurt area. This proposal is being considered by the Foreign Office.

12. General Robertson has commented that the figure of 5,620 tons per day is the minimum requirement. It includes only 500 tons of coal per day for domestic heating, which will not provide much warmth for the homes of 2 1/2 million people. He points out that, despite the fact that the writers of the appreciation expect to reach and perhaps to exceed the daily lift of 5,620 tons, the position will remain serious, and that if the weather becomes severe during the next three months, it will be even worse. He also points out that the subject is not one on which definite conclusions can be made, based on mathematical calculations, because ultimately our ability to hold Berlin depends on the morale of the civil population.

13. The Chiefs of Staff, at their meeting on 17th January, took note of the appreciation and of the comments by General Robertson, and that the Air Ministry are examining the proposals in the appreciation for increasing the lift.

28th January, 1949.

Defence Committee

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