JUNKERS DOWNED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20452, 13 January 1941, Page 5

JUNKERS DOWNED

AMERICAN FIGHTERS BRITISH PILOTS CREW TAKEN PRISONER (British Official Wireless.) Reed. 9 a.m. RUGBY, Jan. 11. The Air Ministry news service states that Germany has lost her first bomber to American fighter aircraft flown by British pilots. Flying Gruman single-seater fighters, naval pilots shot down a Junkers 88, all four German occupants being captured. Three of these aircraft were on patrol when the weather necessitated their recall to the base. One had actually landed when the pilot caught sight of a Junkers 88. He promptly took off again and, climbing back to the clouds, rejoined his two companions just as one of them opened fire on the raider. Smoke at once enveloped the Junkers and when the leader joined the fight the German machine began to lose height as the pilot apparently searched for a landing place. The crippled raider glided down and the three British aircraft kept a close watch to make sure that it was not a ruse to dodge into the mist. The Junkers eventually crashed. The dog fight had been watched by a retired naval captain and his son. They reached the wreckage as one of the German crew was attempting to set fire to the machine. The captain covered the Germans with a shot gun and his son disarmed the four men and took their prisoner. One had been slightly injured.