30-MILE CHASE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 46, 23 February 1940, Page 7

30-MILE CHASE.

HEINKEL BOMBER. Hurricane Pilots Claim Another Victim. LOST, BUT FOUND AGAIN. British Official Wireless. (Received 1 p.m.) RUGBY, February 22. British pilots saw thn first of the two Nazi 'planes that were shot down break up and dive into the sea, says an Air Ministry announcement. The second, after crashing, was burned by its crew. n A 30-mile chase through the clouds by Hawker Hurricane fighters ended in the destruction of the first Heinkel. The Hurricane pilots were members of a regular squadron which recently brought down three Heinkels in two days. The Hurricane pilots sighted the enemy 10 miles off the Northumberland coast. The Heinkel turned to the southeast and climbed into the clouds. For a time the Hurricanes lost him. Then, in a clear patch, a flight-lieutenant sighted the Heinkel again. - He dived to the attack while the German rear gunner fired back ineffectively. The Hurricane's bullets struck home. "The Heinkel's undercarriage immediately dropped," said the flight-lieuten-ant's report. "It dived steeply to about 10,000 feet when its wing tips were seen to drop off. Then it turned on its back and dived vertically into the sea." Further north, Spitfires of an auxiliary squadron were attacking the second Heinkel 25 miles cut to sea. Pursued by the Spitfires, and with one engine out of action, the German pilot decided to make for land. He crashed his aircraft a mile inland.