HEAVY PLANE LOSS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 67, 16 September 1943, Page 5

HEAVY PLANE LOSS

JAPANESE SURPRISED

SYDNEY, September 15. Attacking: Japanese aerodromes in the Wewak area of New Guinea on Monday Allied heavy bombers with a strong escort of fighters left 20 to 25 enemy aircraft blazing on the ground. About 40 Japanese fighters intercepted them. Eight of them were shot down and four others nrobably destroyed. Three Allied fighfers were lost. This heavy blow at Japanese air strength in New Guinea is reported in today's communique from General MacArthur. The planes destroyed were reinforcements recently flown into the area. The raiders concentrated 63 tons of bombs on the runways and dispersal areas at But and Dagua, causing numerous fires with accompanying explosions amongst grounded aircraft and 'fuel dumps. The Japanese in the last four weeks . have lost nearly 400 planes in a series of devastating attacks on Wewak aerodromes. The ■communique also reports that 15 Japanese bombers, with fighter cover, attacked the Watut area near Wav, causing negligible damage and casualties. Our fighters! intercepted, and in -a-running'battle shot down one bomber and one .fighter and probably destroyed another fighter. One Allied plane failed to return.