AIR BATTLES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 December 1939, Page 5

AIR BATTLES

OVER THE NORTH SEA DASHING ATTACKS BY BRITISH PLANES. BIG GERMAN MACHINES DISABLED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day. 10.40 a.m.) RUGBY. December 7. Enemy aircraft over the North Sea on Wednesday attempted to intercept isolated patrols of the Coastal Command of the Royal Air Force. In two encounters reported, enemy machines —giant Dornier flying-boats—were beaten off and badly damaged. One Coastal Command aircraft was far out from its base, north of the Heligoland Bight, when it sighted a Dornier prowling for prey, air or seaborne. To secure a position for himself for effective attack, the British pilot cleverly “stall-turned," that is suddenly put his aircraft into an almost vertical climb, and as it lost speed to stalling turned and dived down on the beam of his enemy, his machine-guns plastering the Dornier with lead at each dive.

After the third attack, the British pilot climbed to 2,000 feet and carried out another attack on the enemy’s tail. One long burst was seen to enter around the engines and main plane, and the crippled German aircraft sought refuge in mist and low cloud, to limp towards its base. A second encounter took place 200 miles from land, when a Coastal Command aircraft sighted a Dornier and for half an hour pursued it in and out of clouds, making six attacks and pouring round after round of ammunition into its adversary. With its rear gun out of action and oil fuel pouring out from both sides, the Dornier made off. swayi/ig, into clouds. The attacking pilot considers it very doubtful whether the enemy machine would reach its base. AIR FORCE FLIGHT OVER NORTH GERMANY. NAZI ASSERTION DENIED. By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright. LONDON, December 7. The Air Ministry announces that the Royal Air Force successfully carried out a flight over North Germany last evening. It denies a German statement that the British machines flew home over Danish territory. The German radio announced that strong Royal Air Force units flew over the Frisian Islands and Schleswig Holstein last night. Anti-aircraft batteries went into action at many points and drove off the planes. No bombs were dropped. RAID REPELLED ATTEMPT TO REACH FIRTH OF FORTH. (Received This Day, 9.55 a.m.) LONDON, December 7. It is officially announced that eight Nazi planes were involved in a raid over the Firth of Forth. The raid was driven off and one enemy machine appeared to be hit. No bombs were dropped. The fighters, after driving off the eight Nazi planes, encountered two others off the North-East coast. The enemy turned back and were pursued to s'ea. One was seen to have been hit. Heavy gunfire was heard along the coast. FIGHTING OFF TEXEL REPORTED BY BERLIN. BRITISH & GERMAN MACHINES COLLIDE. (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) LONDON. December 7. According to a Berlin message, a war communique mentions an air battle west of Texel, in which British and German machines collided and fell into the sea: also German reconnaissance flights over England, Scotland and the Shetland (Islands. “During the evening.” the communique states, "British aeroplanes flew five times towards Schleswig-Holstein. Anti-aircraft fire compelled the enemy to turn northwards and attempt to escape across Denmark. No bombs were dropped.” The British Air Ministry denies that British planes flew over Denmark.