Hurricane Squadron Leads In Toll of Enemy Destroyed

Manawatu Times, Volume 67, Issue 210, 3 September 1942, Page 5

Hurricane Squadron Leads In Toll of Enemy Destroyed

CZECH PILOT’S GREAT RECORD (British Official Wireless.) Received Wednesday, 9.50 p.m. RUGBY, sept. 1. One of the oldest British squaurons of Hurricanes now leads in the score of enemy aircraft destroyed by the Fighter command. This squaaron, says the Air Ministry News Serv.ce, has accounted for over 230 planes. It carried out many successful intruder patrols and fully established the versalitiy of the Hurricane as well as the skill of its pilots. The squadron was ordered to France at the outbreak of the war and with other Hurricane units fought against vastly superior numbers of aircraft during the German break-through in May, 1940. By the time the squadron withdrew it had destroyed over 106 enemy planes. Back in England, it helped to rout the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain and in 1941 when the Fighter Command began its offensive the squadron was again prominent. By now the Hurricane has been given still more deadly firepower. Between daylight sorties over the Channel the squadron carried out night patrols and on the night of May 10 destroyed seven of 33 aircraft brought down. It was about this time that Juttelwascher, a Czech sergeant pilot, began to shoot down German planes at regular intervals. As a flight lieutenant he is the Fighter Command’s most sue cessful intruder pilot. Three in one night is his best effort to date. The squadron began work as an intrduer unit this year armed with four cannon and so far has destroyed 23 enemy at night over or near their own bases.