DAYLIGHT SCOUTING

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 July 1940, Page 5

DAYLIGHT SCOUTING

DEEP PENETRATION OF ENEMY TERRITORY ATTACK ON AERODROME. GIANT PLANE DESTROYED AND OTHERS DAMAGED. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.23 a.m.) RUGBY, July 8. The Air Ministry announces that R.A.F. planes carried out extensive daylight reconnaissances over Germany yesterday and successfully attacked the Eschwege aerodrome. Two of our planes are missing. Penetrating more than 300 miles into enemy territory, one of the bombers attacked the aerodrome at Eschwege, where a large number of aircraft were dispersed along two sides of the landing ground. The British bomber released a jreavy-calibre bomb, which struck a four-engined aircraft standing in front of the main hangar. The aircraft burst into flames. Direct hits were registered on the tarmac close to the hangar and extensive damage is also believed to have been done to the dispersed aircraft by other high explosive bombs which fell nearby. BOMBER VERSUS FIGHTERS. Another R.A.F. bomber, carrying out a raid over Northern France yesterday afternoon, was intercepted and attacked by five Messerschmitt 109 fighters. By skilful manoeuvring the bomber pilot was able to evade the attack and, at the same time, allow his rear-gunner to get in a well-direct-ed burst of fire at one of the Messerschmitts and the enemy disappeared in an almost vertical dive. A running engagement with two of the remaining Messerschmitts followed, but the bomber pilot again evaded their attack and, when some distance out over the'sea, the fighters broke off the action. The Spitfire pilot, who shot down two Messerschmitts and attacked three others, was first attacked by a formation of five enemy fighters and shot one down into the Channel. Later he completely broke up a further formation of seven Messerschmitt 109’s. He followed one, and, after three short bursts, it also crashed into the sea. A fellow pilot of the same squadron got in throe long bursts on another and saw it dive steeply and hit the sea. Another Spitfire squadron chased a Messerschmitt 109 over the French coast, scoring repeated hits and sent a Messerschmitt 110, ' twin-engined fighter, plunging downward towards the sea. Shortly before, the Messerschmitt 110 had itself shot down one Hurricane fighter.