HARD-HITTING AIR RAIDS

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 186, 3 May 1940, Page 9

HARD-HITTING AIR RAIDS

R.A.F. Over Nazi Bases

DAMAGE TO ’DROMES AND AIRCRAFT

Fighters Shot Down; Seven British Planes Missing

(British Official Wireless and Press Assn.) LONDON, May 1.

The Air Ministry announces: “Large concentrations of enemy aircraft were reported yesterday at the ail’ bases in Norway and Denmark. Extensive attacks were, therefore, launched by strong forces of R.A.F. bomber aircraft last night on the aerodromes at Stavanger, Fornebu, and Aalborg. The attacks were pressed home in the face of strong opposition from antiaircraft guns and fighters. “Preliminary reports indicate that heavy damage was done on the aerodromes and on aircraft dispersed there. Casualties were inflicted on enemy fighters. At least three are known to have been shot down. “Seven of our aircraft were lost during these operations.

“Further attacks have been carried out this morning.” Royal Air z Force bombers again raided Stavanger this morning. They did not encounter any German fighters. The damage done in the previous raid was visible, and further hits were made on the landing ground.

A German High Command communique claims that eight British machines were brought down at Stavanger. It admits that slight damage was done at Fornebu, and says that one British plane was shot down there. The first series of raids on Stavanger began late yesterday afternoon and continued into the early hours of this morning. When the advance guard of the British force reached Stavanger large numbers of enemy aircraft on the ground were attacked with highexplosive and incendiary bombs which burst within the target area. Fighters Engaged. Meanwhile, enemy fighters had taken off and in a series of running fights one Messerchmltt 109 was shot down by a Blenheim bomber’s rear gunner, who, after firing a short burst, saw his victim turn to port, fall off in a spin, and crash head-on in the sea.

Following soon after the first raid came another and still stronger force of bombers. Approaching in a shallow dive, the British bombers launched their attack from different directions, battering the ground defences and registering hits on all parts of the aerodrome. Salvoes of high-explosive bombs were seen to straddle the prin cipal runways and explode in a line from the centre to the north-west boundary. Other heavy bombs burst parallel with the runway and alongside the landing ground close to enemy aircraft.

Fighter opposition was intense, and on leaving two British aircraft were pursued and vigorously engaged by four Meserschmitt 109 and 110 fighters. A Messerschmitt 109, closing in on the rearmost bomber, was seen to burst into flames and crash into the sea. A minute later the British bomber came under the concentrated fire of several attackers and was forced down into the water. Two other British bombers were also engaged" by two Messerschmitt 109 fighters. As the British formation dived from 2000 feet almost to sea level, the tail gunners returned the fire and after four short bursts one enemy aircraft burst into flames and crashed into the sea, its companion then breaking off the engagement. Long Night Attack. The third phase of the attack on Stavanger came after dark when another force of bombers subjected the aerodrome to a series of raids that continued into the early hours of the morning. Strong opposition was encountered from the ground defences, but, employing varying tactics of approach, the aircraft succeeded in reaching their objective and inflicting still further damage on the air base. In the daylight raid this morning, made in perfect weather and with a visibility of 50 miles, the aerodrome was attacked with large numbers of high-explosive bombs and bursts of smoke and flame recorded a series of hits on the landing ground. - The accuracy of the Coastal Command bombing was demonstrated when, flying at 15,000 ft., R.A.F. machines scored a succession of direct hits on the runway.

When dropped from this height —approximately three miles—a bomb must bo released two miles from the target, and to obtain direct hits on so limited a target as an aerodrome runway shows a high degree of sldll on the part of the bomb-aimers. According to one pilot, there was no enemy activity on the aerodrome. “The place seemed to be asleep,” he said. All the aircraft engaged in this raid returned safely to their bases. Big Fire at Fornebu. During the attacks on the Aalborg and Fornebu aerodromes during the night high-explosive and incendiary bombs were dropped. A fire visible some 30 miles away was started by the first attack on Fornebu. Later, aircraft which arrived just before midnight were guided to their target, as tlie fire burnt fiercely on the edge of the aerodrome and on promontories east and south of it. Anti-aircraft guns attempted to screen the target with a barrage, but could not hold off the attackers, who ran the gauntlet of the powerful defences and dropped bombs on the hangars and runways. One large hangar was hit and set on fire and new fires were started which were still blazing at the end of the raid.