DUELS IN THE AIR.

Taihape Daily Times, 5 February 1918, Page 3

DUELS IN THE AIR.

AVIATOR'S RECKLESS FIGHT,

AN EIGHT-TO-ONE COMBAT.

j Some idea of the heavy odds against which the British air services at home has to battle is given in the report of a squadron commander of the R.N.A,S. of his share in the defence of his : country in a recent air raid. . ' When at 11,000 ft. (he says)) I saw ■ ten Gothas coming inland. I climbed up to them and engaged one on the right of formation about three" miles out to sea, at something over 12,000 ft. Fired 100 rounds from straight behind his tail at 100 yards range. Bullets were seen seen to enter a Gotha's fusilage. Machine started into a low spin. I followed and fired 25 more into him' to make sure. My gun then jammed and in trying to clear I got into 'a very fast spin with my engines on.' Got out of this just in time to see the enemy crash into the sea. I then landed, had my gun jam cleared and wen up after the remaining eight Gothas —one had been shot down in flames —and caught up with them at 14,000 ft., and engaged them in turn from both above and below; then devoted all my attention to one Gotha, and'after firing 200 rounds into him j silenced both his guns. I think both German gunners must have been hit, ;as I was able to get within 60 ft, of him without being fired at. I finally ran put ■. of ammunition. Here is another instance. Two British seaplanes on submarine patrol above the North Sea sighted a submarine on the surface travelling at about" 14 knots Two men were observed on the conning-tower. Like a pair of hunting kestrels the seaplanes swooped down to a height of 800 ft. and the leading machine dropped a bomb which burst on the starboard side of the submarine, half-way be'ttVeetf the sterni and conning-tower. The submarine heeled slowly over to port, and remained in that position. The bow rose into the air as she stopped and began to sink. The second seaplane then dropped her bomb, which burst in front of the tonning-towcr.