NIGHT COMBATS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 May 1941, Page 5

NIGHT COMBATS

NAZIS USING FIGHTER ESCORTS. ATTEMPT TO PROTECT BOMBERS. LONDON, May 8. The aeronautical correspondent of the “Daily Mail” says that the Luftwaffe, alarmed at the increasing toll by the R.A.F. night fighters, is now sending over a fighter escort for night bombers. The first dogfights by moonlight between British and German fighters occurred last night. “The Times” says it should not be assumed that the problem of nightraiders has been solved or that our night-fighters will always be able to maintain such a high average of success. The problem of finding the enemy on dark nights remains difficult. However, more and more R.A.F. nightfighters are operating. the effect of which is reflected in the increased number of raiders being brought down. The Air Under-Secretary, Captain Balfour, told the House of Commons today that in addition to the 24 enemy planes brought down last night, the damaged would probably run into double figures. LYING IN WAIT FOR RETURNING RAIDERS OVER THEIR OWN AERODROMES. FEATS OF BRITISH PILOTS. (British Official Wireless. I RUGBY. May 8. Details of the combats over France and Belgium which gave three enemy raiders to last night’s record for the Fighter Command show that one pilot spent more than an hour over an enemy aerodrome in France where returning bombers were coming in to land. Though he claimed as a confirmed victim, only one which he saw crash, he severely damaged at least two others. As he was leaving the aerodrome, the pilot narrowly avoided a head-on collision with a returning enemy. Another fighter pilot visited the aerodrome an hour earlier. His gunner gave one enemy bomber a burst which sent it plunging down through the clouds, -and immediately afterward he encountered and attacked a second, but is claiming only one of these as destroyed. Both were shot up in the 35 minutes which the fighter spent over this aerodrome. A young D.F.C. pilot shot down a third bomber as it was returning to its base in Belgium. He identified it as a Heinkel 111 by the light of the flashes from his own guns. The British pilot arrived over the aerodrome just as the enemy aircraft was trying to land. The German pilot was unsuccessful at his first attempt, but before he could do this the R.A.F. fighter dived on him, and bursts from the pilot’s front guns set the enemy on fire. Several attacks were then made by the rear-gunner on the Heinkel which crashed in flames. There was a terrific explosion, followed by a fire which lit up the whole countryside. Other night-fighters dropped bombs on enemy aerodromes, starting fires in hangars and buildings,