BRITISH AIR PATROLS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 1 May 1940, Page 5

BRITISH AIR PATROLS

ALONfi COAST OF NORWAV ENEMY MACHINES DAMAGED AND PUT TO FLIGHT. SOME ESCAPE IN CLOUDS. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.10 a.m.) RUGBY, April 30. During the last 24 hours, formations of the R.A.F. Coastal Command aircraft on patrol along the Norwegian coast report a series of encounters with enemy bombers. One small flight of Blenheims over Andalsnes gave chase to a Junkers 88, which took refuge in a cloud. Action was avoided also by a Heinkel, which the Blenheims intercepted and attacked from astern. The Blenheims next observed a Messerschmitt 110, climbing out of cloud. The Nazi fighter had a rough encounter, and was last seen spiralling down in distress. Two other aircraft saw a Heinkel LLL flying dead across their tracks. They pursued it for 10 minutes with sustained fire. This Heinkel also flew into a cloud and could not be found again. Another Junkers 88 was attacked effectively from a quarter and rear. Its tail gun was put out of action and great plumes of black smoke came from both engines. The German plane was losing height rapidly as it made off. Entering a fiord farther south, the Coastal Command aircraft met another Junkers 88, which turned and escaped.