SURVEY OF SURABAYA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 May 1943, Page 3

SURVEY OF SURABAYA

MADE BY AMERICAN BOMBERS. NOTABLE FLIGHT FROM BASES IN AUSTRALIA. (By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright) SYDNEY, March 11. American-manned Liberator bombers operating from the Australian mainland made the flight over the big naval base of Surabaya, Java, which was mentioned briefly a few weeks ago. Some details of this, the longest reconnaissance flight ever made over enemy-occupied territory in the South-West Pacific, have now been released. The round trip was more than 3000 miles. The specially selected crews which manned the planes had previously taken part in raids on distant enemy bases, ranging from Buin in the northern Solomons to Kendari in the Celebes. Telling the story of the flight to Surabaya, the most important naval base in the Dutch East Indies, officers of the giant four-engined bombers said that they struck the chain of the Indies at Flores, west of Timor, and continued crossing enemy-occupied islands to Bali, at which point they flew northwest of Surabaya. For almost 24 hours they had to battle against head winds.

Extra fuel tanks had to be fitted for the journey, so the planes carried no bomb load. “When we came over Surabaya we must have taken the enemy by surprise,” said one pilot. “It was some time before anti-aircraft guns opened up against us. But we were not bothered by their fire.” The results of the reconnaissance have not been revealed.