FLIGHT TO JAVA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21092, 12 May 1943, Page 3

FLIGHT TO JAVA

U.S. HEAVY BOMBERS 3000-MILE SCOUTING HOP VISIT TO SOURABAYA (Special Australian Correspondent.) 1 10.40 a.m.) SYDNEY, May 12. American-manned Liberator bombers operating from the Australian mainJand made a flight over Sourabaya, Java, which was mentioned briefly a few weeks ago. Some details of this longest reconnaissance flight ever made over enemy-occupied territory in the south-west Pacific have now been released.

The round trip was more than 3000 miles. Specially selected crews which manned the planes had previously taken part in raids on distant enemy bases, ranging from Buin in the northern Solomons to Kendari in the Celebes.

Telling the story of the flight to Sourabaya, the most important naval base in the Dutch East Indies, officers of the giant four-enganed bombers, said that they struck the chain of the Indies at Flores, west of Timor, and oi/. ,:nucd crossing enemy-occupied islands to Bali from which point they (lew north-west of Sourabaya. For almost 24 hours they had to battle against head winds. Extra fuel tanks had to be fitted for the journey so the planes carried no bomb load.

“When we came over Sourabaya, we must have taken the enemy by surprise,” said one pilot. “It was some time before the anti-aircraft guns opened up against us. But we were not bothered by fire.” The results of the reconnaissance have not been revealed.