FIGHTS IN AIR

Waikato Times, Volume 125, Issue 20995, 23 December 1939, Page 7

FIGHTS IN AIR

RAIDS BY ENEMY OVER FIRTH OF FORTH ENGAGED BY BRITISH (Official Wireless) (Received Dec. 23, 11 a.m.) RUGBY, Dec. 22 The Air Ministry announces “Enemy aircraft were reported off the Firth of Forth this morning. “Fighter aircraft were sent up tc intercept them. At a considerable height contact was made with ar enemy aircraft identified as a Heinke 111. On being engaged the Heinke dived into the clouds, but was followed by the leader of our own formation. “On emerging between two layer; of cloud the enemy was re-engagec and after a further attack by th< fighter continued its dive and was los in a lower cloud level .” When the German aeroplanes appeared over the Firth of Forth lighter planes made contact with one Heinkel machine at a considerabl< height. After twice engaging the enemj the Heinkel dived into the clouds and disappeared. Two others flew along the eas' coast. One circled over one town and machine-gun fire was heard The machine flew out to sea, leavinf a trail of white smoke. Details of the Encounter In connection with the official Ail ! Ministry communication this afternoon reporting an air engagemen with a Heinkel 111 off the Firth o Forth this morning, it is interestinj to note that a large round splash o. foam on the surface of the water wa: seen by a Royal Air Force fighte; command pilot after a fight with ; raider. i According to this unofficial versior of the encounter, when the Heinkel were first sighted flying towards th< Scottish coast this morning they wen above two layers of cloud. As soon as they saw the Britisl fighters they dived. A fighter fol lowed, firing at one of the Heinkel immediately it was free of the cloud The fighter pilot’s dive carried hin below the Heinkel. He pulled ui and went on firing from underneath His tracer ammunition seemed to g< straight into the fuselage of the Heinkel. The German air gunner firec back. One bullet passed near the ead of the flight fuselage, but did n< serious damage. The Heinkel dived down and disappeared below the bottom layer o: cloud. Before he went down the British pilot and the other pilot who followec saw a puff of black smoke comini from the raider. The third fighter pilot when returning from the pursuit of the seconc Heinkel saw a splash of foam belov the place of combat. BIG AIR BATTLE OVER THE NORTH SEA NEARLY 100 MACHINES • United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright] OSLO, Nov. 22 A big air battle is reported to have been fought outside Norwegian territorial waters. It is estimated that the number of machines on each side was 40 and 50 respectively. LONDON, Dec/ 22 The Air Ministry states that nc British planes were involved in any air battle off the Norwegian coasl yesterday afternoon. CLAIMS BY GERMANY FRENCH PLANE FORCED DOW? RAIDS OVER ENGLAND • United Tress assu.—lilec. Tel. Copyright (Received Dec. 23, 1 p.m.) BERLIN, Dec. 22 A High Command communiqu states: “ During an air fight betweei Messerschmitts and French fightinj planes one enemy plane was forcec down. Our planes returned withou casualty. “ Reconnaissance aircraft flew ove southern England.” ROYAL AIR FORCE 48 CASUALTIES REPORTED PLANE CRASHES ON CHURCH TWO KILLED; ONE INJURED • United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyngn. (Received Dec. 23, 1 p.m.) LONDON, Dec. 22 The fifteenth Royal Air Force casualty list contains 48 names. A Royal Air Force machine, believed to be making a forced landing crashed on a church in the colliery village of North Broomhill, in Northumberland. It set fire to the church anc smashed window's. Two airmen were killed and one injured. SHIPPING DIFFICULTIES THE STORAGE OF WHEAT (United Press Assn.—Ln-c. Tel. Copyright) (Received Dec. 22, 1 p.m.) CANBERRA. Dec. 22 To overcome the difficulties that will arise if the shipping irregularities continue the Federal Government nas assumed powers by new national security regulations to commandeer buildings suitable for the storage cl wheat. Simultaneously power has bee.' taken to commandeer whatever supplies of cornsacks the Wheat Board may require to store the wheat peudi mg shipment.