JAPAN'S LOSSES OF AIRCRAFT

Press, Volume LXXIX, Issue 24094, 2 November 1943, Page 3

JAPAN'S LOSSES OF AIRCRAFT

2292 DESTROYED IN FOUR MONTHS ALLIED SUCCESSES IN OCTOBER SYDNEY. Nov. 1. In the four months ended October 31 the Japanese have lost 2292 _ aircraft claimed by the Allies as definitely destroyed, in the south-west Pacific area. Allied successes during October were a record. The number of Allied aeroplanes employed and the bomb tonnage dropped were also records. Allied pilots claimed 995 enemy bombers and' fighters destroyed or damaged, in Oc tober. The number of Allied aeroplanes employed and the bomb tonnage dropped were also records. The monthly losses have been: July, 436; August, 531; September, 550; October, 775. Last month, in addition to 775 aeroplanes definitely destroyed, the Japanese lost 115 probably destroyed, and 105 damaged. Of these 303 were destroyed on the ground, 36 were probably destroyed, and 78 were damaged. In the great Rabaul raid of October 11,350 tons of explosives were dropped, and 250,000 rounds of ammunition were expended. The enemy’s loss of 126 aeroplanes in this attack was his heaviest reverse in a single encounter. , Raids on Rabaul during October cost the Allies 13 aeroplanes. The heaviest raid on New Guinea was made on October 23, when 221 tons of bombs were dropped on Satelberg, near Finschhafen.

In addition to aeroplane losses, Japanese shipping suffered heavily during the month. Details of losses were: sunk —a cruiser, seven destroyers, five auxiliary warships, 14 merchant vessels, 84 barges and coastal vessels; probably sunk—a cruiser, a corvette, a patrol boat, seven merchant vessels, and 51 barges and coastal vessels; damaged—a cruiser, six destroyers, a vessel resembling an aircraft-carrier, 29 merchant vessels, and scores of barges. Rabaul Raided Again

In another raid on Rabaul, at midday on Friday, General MacArthur’s aircraft destroyed 45 Japanese aircraft and probably destroyed 18 others. Heavy bombers, with a strong fighter escort, made a concentrated midday attack against the Vunakanua aerodrome. They dropped a heavy load of explosives. Twenty aircraft were destroyed on the ground, with five more probably destroyed. Of 40 intercepting enemy fighters, 25 were shot down and 13 others were probably destroyed. The Allies lost four aircraft. Lightnings escorted the Liberators. In the evening of the same day, Beauforts attacked Tobera airfield.

A lone Liberator bomber probably sank a large Japanese destroyer and damaged another early on Saturday morning.

The two destroyers, with a cruiser, were close together in the harbour of a tiny island off the north coast of New Britain. They made an excellent target for the Libertor’s 10001b bombs, which fell among them. Although damage was claimed officially only to the destroyers, the Liberator pilot said that the blast from direct hits on one destroyer would have done heavy damage to the other destroyer and to the cruiser. The Liberator first sighted the ships during Friday night; but they put up such heavy anti-aircraft opposition that the pilot postponed his attack until the ships reached what they apparently believed to be a secure haven. While the Liberator was shadowing the warships it met Japanese night fighters. They did not attack.