THRILLING ENCOUNTERS

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21196, 20 August 1940, Page 5

THRILLING ENCOUNTERS

BRITISH FLIERS’ SUCCESS AGAINST SUPERIOR NUMBERS RAIDERS BROUGHT DOWN (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, August 18 Over the Channel a Spitfire pilot battled with a Junkers 88 bomber. His aircraft was badly damaged but he managed to shoot down the enemy and then flew back over the coast before jumping to safety by parachute. A crack Spitfire squadron, which is approaching a century of successes, engaged a number of lone fighters and bombers over Kent. While these dogfights were going on several large formations of bombers—at least 80—appeared in a flying line abreast in sections of three. They looked, as a Spitfire pilot said, “Like a huge rectangle.” They were supported by many enemy fighters circling above and in front of them. Before the Spitfire pilots landed they had destroyed three Messerschmitt 109 fighters and seriously damaged two more Messerschmitts and two of the new Heinkels 113 fighters, as well as five Dornier 17 bombers. During two raids over the Hampshire area two fighter squadrons had remarkable success. The first raid took place shortly after one o’clock. Nine Hurricanes went up and shot down nine Nazi raiders—eight bombers and a fighter. An hour later eleven Spitfires went up to intercept another mass raid against their own number of enemy bombers and fighters. Ten Junkers 87’s and one Messerschmitt 109 were destroyed.