RECORD ATTACK ON AIRCRAFT TARGETS

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 126, 30 May 1944, Page 5

RECORD ATTACK ON AIRCRAFT TARGETS

(N.Z.P.A. —Copyright.—Rec. 12.30 pm.) i LONDON, May 29. * Allied planes from Britain to-day ranged far and wide over Germany and enemy-occupied Europe. Strong forces of bombers and fighters from the Mediterranean joined in what became the greatest day attack of the war against purely aircraft targets. Between 500 and 750 heavy bombers of the Mediterranean Air Force again flew over the Alps and heavily bombed plane factories and' airfields in the Vienna and Wiener-Neustadt areas, Austria. Meanwhile from Britain nearly 1000 heavy bombers, with escorting clouds of American and Allied fighters, carried on the R.A.F.'s overnight bombing and struck at German aircraft factories from Poland to Leipzig, in Saxony. Heavy bombers, smashing against Posen, had to fly a round trip exceeding 1400 miles.

Berlin radio indicated the intensity and extent of the attack and all day long poured out reports of Allied intrusions and heavy air fighting. A United States Army Air Force communique says that the Flying Fortresses and Liberators attacking Polish and German fighter aircraft factories to-day destroyed 62 enemy aircraft and the fighter escort destroyed an additional 38. Thirty-five Allied bombers and' 1 1 fighters are missing. It is officially announced that Thunderbolt fighter-bombers late this afternoon, without loss, attacked airfields at Lorient and Brest. The German News Agency stated that Rome was bombed to-day.