FIGHTER PILOTS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 29 July 1942, Page 4

FIGHTER PILOTS

NEW ZEALANDERS AT BRITISH BASES 1 RECENT ACHIEVEMENTS. INCLUDE DESTRUCTION OF ENEMY BOMBER. (Soecial P.A. Correspondent.) ■ ‘ LONDON, July 27. The New Zealand Hurricane night fighter squadron is claiming its first Nazi. It fell to Flight Lieutenant Harvey Sweetman, Mission Bay, and crashed not far from the squadron’s station. It was a Dornier 217, one of the latest German bombers. Sweetman’s flight have one of the airscrews of the enemy plane in their hut. The squadron is awaiting official confirmation. Sweetman was operating with Havocs and then left them and became a “lone wolf.” He sighted the Hun, which fired at him and he saw tracers fly over his head. He returned the fire 1 and then the Dornier banked to starboard and became silhouetted. Sweetman immediately gave it a three-sec-ond burst, after which the Hun went straight down. The victory occurred on the night following a visit by Air Commodore L. M. Isitt, who stayed the night. He also visited the New Zealand Spitfire squadron which is nearby. He talked to all ranks, watched the two squadrons competing in a local swimming competition, when the Hurricane squadron beat the Spitfire squadron, and also won the relay race, Sweetman, Flight Lieutenant J. Coulston, Wellington, Pilot Officer A. H. Smith, Auckland, and Sergeant R. J. Dall, Hamilton, swimming well. Air Commodore Isitt had a long talk with Wing Commanders P. G. Jameson, D.F.C. and bar, and I. S. Smith, D.F.C. and bar. Jameson is operating over France, shooting up, railway locomotives, which nowadays is one of the Spitfire pilots’ favourite pastimes. Jameson led a group which had shot up four that day.