ROUGHLY HANDLED

Wairarapa Times-Age, 25 November 1941, Page 6

ROUGHLY HANDLED

ENEMY PLANES OVER MALTA LESS THAN HALF GET AWAY UNSCATHED. DAY OUT FOR HURRICANES. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 12,15 p.m.) RUGBY, November 24. Since the war began Malta has been raided many hundreds of times. Her defences, described recently as some of the most powerful in the world, have been exacting a heavy toll of enemy raiders. On Saturday, a formation of Macchis which approached Malta received a hot reception from R.A.F. fighters. Of more than a score of enemy aircraft which were engaged, roughly half got back unscathed. Hurricanes destroyed three Macchis for certain and damaged eight others, three of them so badly that they can be regarded as probably destroyed. It has been ascertained that one Maccm, which was damaged in an early morn-ing--combat on Friday, later crashed into the sea east of the island. Once again large crowds saw a dogfight in which some fifty aircraft wove an intricate pattern in a sunny afternoon sky. The battle started at about 2000 feet, between one formation of Hurricanes and Macchis. Joined by more Hurricanes, which dived from a highei altitude and within a few seconds had put bursts into six. enemy aircraft, sending two down with smoke pouting from them, the first formation of our fighters had also taken toll of the Macchis. In addition to shooting three down it damaged another badly and put bursts into yet another at close range. The only entry on the debit side was very slight damage to one Hurricane.