MOUNTING WEIGHT OF BOMBS

Dominion, Volume 35, Issue 172, 17 April 1942, Page 5

MOUNTING WEIGHT OF BOMBS

Targets In The Ruhr SOMETIMES 900 TONS IN A NIGHT (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received April 16, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 15. A British bomber among the armada attacking the Ruhr was forced to jettison its full cargo which was only two bombs, but they were 40001 b. ones, says the “Daily Mail.” Bombs of that weight have never been dropped on the British Isles. The total weight of British bombs dropped on Germany is only just catching up to the weight of German bombs dropped on Britain but, raid for raid, nothing experienced in Britain equals the punishment the Bomber Command is at present meting out to Germany.

The increased volume of bombing power is shown by the fact that the much-discussed raid on Sylt in March, 19-10, consisted of 49 planes which dropped 45 tons of bombs, of which none was heavier than 5001 b. The 40001 b. bomb is not Britain’s heaviest bomb today. An average of 250 tons nightly was dropped on German}’ in four raids last week, but tlie weight is often higher. The R.A.F. sometimes sends out 300 planes, when the weight of bombs dropped must at least be 600 tons in a single night and sometimes nearer 900 when the objectives are closer and the bombers carry less petrol. The Luftwaffe, it is believed, only twice dropped as much as 400 tons of bombs on London.

Wednesday’s attacks on the Ruhr followed a night in which bombers of the R.A.F. again made a heavy raid on Hitler’s war factories and workshops. This was the sixth night in just over a week that the people of western Germany have been kept out of their beds by British bombers. The bombs dropped in Tuesday night’s raids caused many fires, some of which are described as “very large.” German Ship Left Sinking. A medium-sized German supply ship was left sinking in a Norwegian fiord north of Bergen after a swift early morning attack on Wednesday by Hudson aircraft of the Coastal Command, says the Air Ministry news service. The pilot of a Hudson dived so low that he actually heard ills bombs strike the vessel. Four found their target and exploded a few seconds later. The Hudson circled for nearly 10 minutes, and saw a large cloud of smoke or steam hanging over the ship. When the Hudson left, the ship had sunk very low in the water. A smaller ship made off at top speed further into the fiord. There was heavy link from ships and shore, 'but the R.A.F. aircraft were untouched. At least seven were killed when night raiders heavily bombed a British north-eastern coastal town. Several houses in a working-class area were demolished and many others were badly damaged.

NON-STOP ATTACKS

R.A.F. Over Northern France (Received April 16, S pin.) LONDON, April 15. The Air Ministry announced: "Our lighters carried out sweeps over northern France today. When on one of these, bomb-carrying Hurricanes attacked an enemy aerodrome. In another operation, our lighters escorted a small force of bombers to attack the docks at Cherbourg.” These attacks have been practically non-stop during the past three days. A later communique says that three enemy fighters are known to have been destroyed in combats and three of our fighters are missing. No bombers were lost in the attack on Cherbourg. “Shortly after dawn this morning,” the communique added, “Hudson aircraft of the Coastal Command bombed a medium-sized enemy supply ship off the Norwegian coast.

"Bomb-carrying Hurricanes which went out on the second of tlie sweeps over northern France dropped their bombs on an 'Aerodrome without offposition, but above them combats were many.” About 30 FWL 190’s tried to get through tlie Spitfire cover, but none got anywhere near the “Hut riboinbers,” said one pilot.

Another squadron commander had the exasperating experience of following his victim down from 13,'j00 feet to 500 feet and then being robbed _of seeing his victim’s end. To avoid going into the .sea himself, he pulled out of his dive at 500 feet, but he was travelling so fast he "blacked out." When he last saw the FWL 190, it was less than 500 ft. up and was heading steeply for the sea. Yet he can claim only a "probable” because he did not actually see it crash.