FIVE AXIS FIGHTERS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 2 June 1943, Page 3

FIVE AXIS FIGHTERS

DESTROYED IN SWEEPS OVER ■ FRANCE AT COST OF ONE BRITISH PLANE. ENEMY SHIPS DAMAGED BY TYPHOONS. LONDON. June 1. Ii.A.F. fighters from this country made more offensive sweeps over Northern France today. Norwegian and Canadian pilots shared in the destruction of five German fighters. One British plane is missing.

Earlier today Typhoons swooped on an enemy convoy off the Dutch coast and damaged five supply ships.

TOLL TAKEN , OF FOCKE-WULFS RAIDING BRITAIN. NUMBER OF PEOPLE KILLED OR INJURED. Twelve Focke-Wulf fighterbombers came over a south-east coast town today but only half of them got back. Five were shot down by Typhoons and one by anti-aircraft gun fire. The raiders flew in almost at rooftop level and bombs dropped wrecked houses, a church and a hotel. Two of the Typhoons flew with the enemy planes and the Germans did not realise the position until the Typhoons opened up on them. Both pilots accounted for a possible enemy machine. Other enemy planes attacked a village on the south coast today and caused some damage. Two raiders penetrated to the London area. One hit a shelter’ in a suburb and killed a number of people and injured others. In another area at least six people were killed, including three Home Guard officers.

JOINING THE HUNS BRITISH PILOT’S STORY. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 10.45 a.m.) RUGBY. June 1. Focke-Wulf raiders crossed the English coast so low over the water that our fighter pilots had to fly through spray to reach them. They took the enemy completely, by surprise and one pilot actually joined an enemy formation and flew out to sea with it. He said: “There were enemy planes 200 yards on either side of me. I could see the pilots sitting, unaware of my identity, and looking quite comfortable. I got through to the leader and gave him a squirt and he went down. I went on through the splash of water he made and, when about 20 miles out to sea, got a second victim. There was no real fight in the Huns. They just did not know who we were until it was too late.” The R.A.F. pilots, when eventually detected, were shot at, but were not hit.