HUGE BLAST BOMBS

Evening Star, Issue 25344, 28 November 1944, Page 5

HUGE BLAST BOMBS

12,000-POUNDERS DROPPED ON MUNICH

FIRST USE AGAINST GERMAN CITY

(Rec. 10.5 a.m.) RUGBY, Nov. 27. The Air Ministry states: " Early this morning, though it was still dark, R.A.F Lancasters made a concentrated attack on Munich, a railway centre and an industrial town of great importance for the production of aircraft and general engineering. The attack lasted about 15 minutes, and large fires were observed over a wide area. Objectives in Western Germany were also bombed, and night intruders attacked airfields well behind the enemy lines. Onei aircraft is missing." About 500. United States Liberators and Fortresses to-day attacked the railway marshalling yards at Offenburg, 10 miles south-east of Strasbourg, and at Bingen, west of Mainz. The bombers were escorted by over 250 Mustangs. Approximately 500 United States Thunderbolts and Mustangs carried out offensive sweeps over North-west Germany. ... ■ ■

During the Munich raid Lancasters for the first time dropped 12,0001 b blast bombs, which are of a different type from the 12,0001 b earthquake bombs which sank the Tirpitz. Previously this type of bomb has only been dropped in attacks on single factories in occupied territories. /

The attack was planned for 5 a.m. so as to miss the moon. The bombers had to make a very deep penetration into South-east Germany and were air-borne for over 10 hours. The bombing had to be rapid eo that the bombers, without any escort of day fighters, could reach friendly territory before dawn. The weather was brilliantly clear over Munich, and in the light of the first flares the master bomber was able to .make certain of the aiming point. . Bad weather on Sunday impeded all air operations from Mediterranean bases, states Allied headquarters. Fighters from the Allied Strategic Air Force carried out a successful sweep over an airfield south-west of Budapest, and strafed rail and road transport in that area. Railways in the central Po Valley and fortified buildings and other military objectives in the battle areas in Northern Italy were attacked by fighters and fighter-bombers. Nine enemy aircraft were destroyed. Eleven of ours are missing. The Allies flew over 500 sorties.