SPITFIRE PATROLS CLAM MORE VICTIMS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 50, 28 February 1940, Page 7

SPITFIRE PATROLS CLAM MORE VICTIMS.

HEINKELS DOWNED.

Daring Attacks On Fleeing

Bomber.

BRISK AIR ACTIVITY.

United Prens Association.—Copyright. (Received 11 a.m.)' LONDON", February 27. Royal Air Force fighter patrols shot down two Heinkel bombers to-day, one at the mouth of the Firth of Forth and the other over the eoast of Northumberland. Three of the crew of the latter were seen taking to a rubber boat.

The shooting down of the two Heinkel* ended one of the liveliest periods of air activity since the outbreak of the war.

L*->s than an hour after the destruction of the first raider tiver the Firth of Forth. Spitfire fighters sighted the other Heinkel. which dived down over the sea. The Spitfire follow-ed. attacking only 20ft over the water.

A Royal Air Force pilot, after several bursts of machine-gun fire, saw the Heinkel'a starboard engine fail and a large piece of the 'plane fall off. The machine settled down in the sea. Three of the crew launched a rubber boat.

Vain Search for Crew. Royal Air Force cutters searched for several hours for the German crew, but conditions were unfavourable. Finally they gave op at nightfall, when hope of rescue seemed slight. While Spitfires were fiercely engaging Hcinkels off the British coast, the Germans challenged a further Royal Air Force reconnaissance flight over" Heligoland Bight.

The Air Ministry. describing the flight as successful, adds that one of our machines failed to return. This accords with the German official news agencv daim that a British |>lune was shot down in the afternoon.