STIRRING BATTLES FOR AIR MASTERY

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 58, 9 March 1944, Page 5

STIRRING BATTLES FOR AIR MASTERY

FLYERS' STORIES Nazi Loss, 83 Planes, For American 54 N.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rec. 1 p.m. LONDON, Mar. 8. The captain of one Flying Fortress, who ran into trouble on the raid on Berlin, said: "Whole fleets of German planes came up, including twin-engined, rocket-firing fighters, around which the Germans put a protecting screen of singleengined planes. These formations attacked our bombers without dispersing them, and dived and rolled right through our groups. There were huge fires in Berlin when we arrived and great clouds of black smoke rising 7000 ft." A fighter pilot said: "The Germans seemed to throw up every available plane, including trainers, which were easy prey. We fought the German fighters through flak bursts with men on parachutes tumbling all around us." The United States Strategic Air Force Headquarters announced that the Erkner ball-bearing factory, situated in an eastern suburb of Berlin, was hit in to-day's attack. Other targets in Berlin area were also hit. , ~ The Erkner works are believed to have been making 90 per cent of Germany's ball-bearings for tanks, aircraft and other purposes since the destruction of the Schweinfurt.

A later U.S.A.A.F. communique states that United States fighters in the course of the Berlin raid to-day shot down 83 enemy planes, while 16 American fighters and 38 bombers are missing.

The German News Agency says that the United States bombers crossed the Dutch coast shortly before noon and flew across the German frontier at a great height, after which they split up into seven main formations with very strong escort. Violent- combats over the frontier area quickly developed into a great new air battle. . German fighter and intel ceptoi sciuadrons launched both massed and single attacks, it is claimed, and air combats were continuous between the Weser and the outskirts of News Agency claimed that many planes were shot down en route to, and over, Berlin, f skv was cloudless and visibility perfect. It added that after the raid the bombers flew back 011 P a ir W hatUes course and very heavy fu battles occurred over North-westein Gei many.