BRITISH AIRCRAFT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 January 1941, Page 5

BRITISH AIRCRAFT

ABLE TO STAND HEAVY DAMAGE

AND STILL GET SAFELY HOME REMARKABLE EXAMPLES SIGNAL PROOF OF FINE WORKMANSHIP. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY. January 8. British, aircraft sometimes suffer extraordinary stress and yet still are brought safely to land at their home aerodromes. Eloquent testimony is thus borne to the skill of the workers in the aircraft factories and the pilots and ground staff alike. A Hampden bomber recently received a direct hit over Hamburg which struck the port wing and ripped open the oil tank. The port engine, however, ran sweetly for ail the 400 miles home. These and many similar stories—of the tail rudder of a Hampden being badly damaged bj' the cannon and machineguns of three Junkers 88's attacking at once —of the fuselage and wings of a Whitley being severely holed by A.A. fire at a range of only 2000 feet —of a Wellington which was hit in six places by a severe barrage but like all the others returned home —are being recorded.

A Blenheim bomber was flying over Rotterdam in exceptionally heavy A.A. fire when the port oil tank was punctured in three places, the lead from the starboard petrol tank was fractured, the main spar and fin were shot through and a rudder cable cut half through. There were also holes in the tail and fuselage, but the machine got home and was back in service two days later. ■ Only the finest workmanship makes machines like these.