SHOT WING OFF ZERO
FIGHT OVER VELLA-LAVELLA
■; SOUTH PACIFIC BASE, August 28. v On August :i5/Captain C. E. Nichols, 'of the 13th; Air Force, clipped a wing x offa Zero in full; career., -. • ■ ; ,'■ . It"■■"happened, when he. met four !Zeros over. Vella] TLavella. Two of ■ them-began to scissor- as he.approach--ed.i He made1 a flat.; pass . directly Eastern of:"one,"when it tried to turn tiriside ■ him.' Close on: its tail he opened1 fire at 75 yards distance.: He saw 'his tracers enter the plane and then 'pulled. As he did'so his left wing tip -flit the Zero's stabiliser and tore "through the fight side of the fuselage ;X&bbut midway. . "■„''■'.'.'> ' To,escape the falling enemy Captain -'Nichols turned to the right and fell ; 'off on his left wing... The tail of the 'Zero was burning' by now arid its 'right wing;hanging .loose, while two ■'feet'ofrthe* American pilot's left wing "was torn in its, contact with the enemy.; . -The Zero ■. exploded and made a death■waM'descent:into the sea. ••■ Captain Nichols, who hails from Orange, California, piloted his damaged.' plane' back to the home' base to ■imike a perfect'landing. ; :
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19430902.2.68
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 55, 2 September 1943, Page 6
Word Count
181SHOT WING OFF ZERO Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 55, 2 September 1943, Page 6
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