AIR WARFARE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1940, Page 6

AIR WARFARE

SUCCESSES OF BRITISH PLANES SEVERAL ENEMY MACHINES DESTROYED. ATTACKS ON SHIPS IN NAVAL AREAS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 11.35 a.m.) RUGBY. March S. The Air Ministry announces tliai in the course of' reconnaissance and patrol operations carried out yesterday by aircraft of the Bomber and Coastal Command of the Royal Air Force, three enemy patrol vessels near Borkum were attacked with bombs. Bombing altlaeks were also made last night on a naval auxiliary vessel near Sylt. Two enemy Heinkel aircraft, encountered over the North Sea during the day, were engaged and were seen to bo hit. Further details of the action described. in this announcement have now been disclosed. In the course of routine patrols far over the North Sea yesterday, reconnaissance aircraft of the Coastal Command sighted a Heinkel 115 about a mile ahead. This type of Heinkel is a long-range twin-float seaplane. The British aircraft pursued and overtook it and attacked from dead astern. A steady fire was maintained during the approach. At 150 yards, it was apparent that bursts were entering the enemy's fuselage. At fifty yards’ range, the attack was pressed home. There was evidence now that the German rear gunner had cither been disabled or killed. Until then he had fought back vigorously. One of the British crew then signalled that his gun had jammed and the aircraft was flown into a cloud to allow the fault to be remedied. With all his guns again serviceable, the pilot emerged and saw his opponent below him. He dived to renew the combat at close range and the damaged Heinkel was driven to find refuge in a cloud. The British aircraft, which was unscathed in the action, searched for its adversary unavailingly and then proceeded on its patrol. Soon afterwards the pilot saw three German patrol vessels, which he immediately attacked with bombs. With a storm of anti-aircraft fire around him. he could only observe one of the bomb bursts, some twenty yards from one of the ships. Having practically no machine gun ammunition left and having expended all his bombs, the pilot was obliged to cease the attack and to continue his reconnaissance. HEINKEL CHASED. Another pilot of the same squadron, on a different patrol, saw a Heinkel float-plane almost at sea level. He dived from two thousand feet and attacked it on the starboard quarter with his machine guns. He then climbed back to his original height and dived again, with his front gun in action. The German rear gun, which had fired steadily without result during both attacks. was silenced. The enemy aircraft thereupon made for dense clouds, through which it was chased for twenty minutes. During the chase it was seen on four occasions in the clouds and each time bursts of fire were sent into it. IN SINGLE COMBAT. The German bomber destroyed by the Royal Air Force this afternoon was shot down in single combat. The duel was fought off the north-east coast, of Scotland and the bomber —a Heinkel 111—crashed into the sea. When the Heinkel was first sighted by a patrol of Hurricanes of the Fighter Command, it dived two thousand feet to sea level. One of the Hurricane pilots attacked and the effect of his fire was, enough. The Heinkel flew, turning from side to side, just above the water, trying io dodge the Hurricane’s fire. After a few seconds of running fight the Heinkel collapsed. The Heinkel shot down in the sea east of Aberdeen on Thursday was first observed flying east at a height of approximately 27,000 feet. Spitfires climbed to attack the raider, while antiaircraft guns on land opened fire. Almost as soon as the fighters attacked. one of the Heinkel’s engines went out of action. Smoke poured from it. The German pilot turned and glided towards the west, but, failing to reach land, alighted on the sea. Before the Heinkel sank, the Spitfire pilots saw a rubber boat launched. One member of the German crew was picked up from the rubber boat by a surface craft.