R.A.F. SUPERIORITY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 27 July 1940, Page 5

R.A.F. SUPERIORITY

CLEARLY DEMONSTRATED NEW GERMAN MACHINES ENGAGED. ONE SHOT DOWN BY HURRICANES. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, July 25. Today’s intense' air activity again turned very much in favour of the Royal Air Force. In one case a Nazi fighter dived into the sea without a shot being fired. With four other Messerschmitts it was chasing a single Spitfire which had become separated from its squadron. The Spitfire dived 5000 feet in an attempt to avoid the pursuers, and one of the Messerschmitts also dived, but when the Spitfire straightened out 50 feet from the sea the Messerschmitt was travelling so fast that it was unable to pull out of the dive and crashed straight into the sea. On another occasion during the afternoon Hurricane pilots flying nearly four miles high over the Channel engaged three of the new German Messerschmitt 110 (Jaguar) bombers, shooting one down. ATTACKS IN CHANNEL EXTRAVAGANT ENEMY ’ CLAIMS. LONDON, July 26. The German radio announced: “Our attacks on shipping in the English Channel yesterday resulted in the sinking of 11 ships totalling 43,000 tons from a convoy of 23 ships. Three more, totalling 12,000 tons, were set on fire or damaged and are likely to be a total loss, and one destroyer was set on fire and another seriously damaged.” RECORD FIGURE OF ENEMY LOSSES IN ONE DAY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.53 a.m.) RUGBY, July 26. The-full total of 28 German aircraft shot down off the British coasts yesterday makes the highest figure yet of enemy losses in one day in air attacks on Britain In addition it was announced that this total was reached by a further five enemy machines being accounted for by British fighters, without further loss to the R.A.F. RAIDS ON TOWNS SOME CASUALTIES IN BRITAIN. MORE ENEMY PLANES BROUGHT DOWN. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.53 a.m.) RUGBY, July 26. A Ministry of Home Security communique states that in an attack on a south-east coast town this morning, enemy aircraft destroyed some houses and damaged others. The casualties were small, one person being killed. Early this morning an enemy bomber was shot down in south-west England, and later two enemy fighters were brought down.