NEW ZEALANDERS IN DEADLY TYPHOONS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 110, 11 May 1943, Page 3

NEW ZEALANDERS IN DEADLY TYPHOONS

GOOD SCORE-BOARD Auckland Pilot-Officer In Channel Chase N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent Rec. 1.30 p.m. LONDON, May 10. The Air Ministry now permits it to be stated that the Second New Zealand Fighter Squadron is equipped with Typhoons, one of the fastest and heaviest-armed single-engined fighters in the world. It is designed by Sydney Camm, designer of the Hurricane. It is powered by a Napier-Sabre, 24cylinder, 2400 h.p. .engine which is liquid cooled. The Tj'phoon's speed is over 400 miles an hour. It is heavily armed, carrying four cannons. This was the squadron which first flew Hurricanes as night-fighters and after equipping with Typhoons shot' down seven Germans in the week preceding Christmas. Squad-ron-Leader Desmond J. Scott, D.F.C. and bar, of Hokitika, was recently appointed commanding officer. The squadron has built up an excellent reputation. It has now shot down 162 Germans —two more were recently added by Pilot-Officers; F. Murphy, of Wellington, and A. H. Smith, of Auckland, and carried out many attacks against German shipping in the English Channel including no fewer than 17 last month. The majority of the squadron's Germans were shot down while they were tip-and-run raiding south coast towns, but two Messerschmitt? 109 got by Pilot-Officers Murphy and Smith were believed to be on reconnaissance. Triumph of Marksmanship They chased the Germans for 2G miles almost at sea level. PilotOfficer Murphy's reflector sight went out after he fired the first burst, but he was flying so low that he continued firing and judged the aim by following the tracks of the bullets on the water.- Smoke poured from the Messerschmitt. Pilot - Officer Murphy used up all his ammunition and eventually the German burst into flames and went into the sea.

Pilot-Officer Smith made shorter work of his Messerschmitt, there being no complications. This was Pilot-Officer Murphy's fourth victory for the squadron. He now leads the squadron's score-board. Squadron-Leader " Scott recently led the squadron in an attack against a 4000-ton freighter and two flakships in Le Havre harbour. Others participating were FlightLieutenants A. E. Umbers and H. N. Sweetman, Flying-Officer J. H. MeCaw, Pilot-Officers Smith, R. J. Dall and C. N. Gall, Flight-Sergeants W. B. Tyerman, M. O. Jorgenson, D. Bennett and N. E. Preston, and Sergeant R. H. Fitzgibbon. They made several attacks against the freighter, causing a fire and large explosion.*

Lone Waaf op the Station

Section-Officer Margaret Sims, of Christchurch, has the distinction of being the only New Zealand Waaf on the station. Newcomers to the squadron are Flying-Officer A. J. Woodgate, of Oamaru, and FlightSergeants B. C. Thompson, of Dannevirke, and H. C. Saywell, of Hamilton, all of whom were in Sierr.a Leone flying Hurricanes and watching the activities of Vichy troops. Much more is going to be heard of this New Zealand - Typhoon sauadron, whose..record..has already Von praise 'from -Air -Vice-Marshal H. W. L. Saunders, A.0.C.-No. 11 group.