Allied Night Fighters’ Action At Port Moresby

Northern Advocate, 18 May 1943, Page 3

Allied Night Fighters’ Action At Port Moresby

(Special, 1 p.m.) SYDNEY. This Day. Allied night fihters went into action for the first time in New Guinea when four Japanese bombers raided Port Moresby last Friday night. One bomber was shot down by a night fighter and another was destroyed by anti-aircraft fire.

The Allied pilot who brought down the bomber was Second-Lieutenant B. W. Adams (Illinois). It was his first operation. Lieut. Adams said: “When I first saw the bombers they were about 2000 foot ahead and I dived to attack from 18,000 feet. One bomber dived and I could still see its silhouette : .tanding out against the background of cloud. I followed him down and gave hirri everything I had. He burst into flames, and I saw him spinning out of control through the clouds like a flaming torch.” New Zero Type The Japanese in the South-west pacific are now flying “Haps,” a new type of Zero, with a more powerful engine than its predecessors. This has been revealed by Australia’s leading fighter ace. Wing Commander Clive Valdwell. “This new enemy fighter is a hottedup sort of Zero, squarer in the wingtips than the old Zero and more powerful,” he said. “They are good aircraft—but not as good as the Spitfire. The Spitfire is faster and can climb higher.” Wing Commander Caldwell, who has taken part in recent battles between Spitfires and Japanese raiders over Darwin, is in Sydney on leave. He has destroyed 241 aircraft, German, ILtalian and Japanese. An Australian Beaufighter pilot is reported to have dived from the clouds to within 10 feet of a Japanese submarine cruising on the surface of New Guinea waters. He raked the craft with cannon and machine-gun fire and killed sailors who were manning the deck gun. The submarine crashdived to avoid further attacks. Japs. Lose 10 Ships The sinking of 10 Japanese ships, including a destroyer, is recorded in the United States navy communique which Mates that Avengers attacked four cargo vessels on May 15 in the Buiii area. One ship was set on fire. American submarines reported that actions in the Facific and Far East sunk one destroyer, one large and one medium-sized cargo ships, one medium transport, one small passenger freighter and one small escort vessel and damaged a large tanker. Air Activity Mounts

The air war is again mounting in New Guinea with the return of Japanese activity over almost all pails of the north-eastern sector of General MacArthur’s command. During the past three days our aircraft have encountered Japanese planes on patrolling reconnaissance and bombing missions over many areas. At least 24 enemy planes have been destroyed in combat, and 11 others probably destroyed. In addition, many are believed to have been destroyed on the ground. Significantly, Allied bombing attacks during the past few days have been aimed principally at Japanese offensive air bases from Kendari in the Celebes in the west to Kavieng In New Ireland and Rabaul in New Britain in the east. Fine Record By Americans An American fighter unit, which destroyed 10 enemy aircraft during a Japanese raid on Oro Bay on Friday, has now shot down 225 Japanese planes in its 14 months in the Southwest Pacific area. The unit was the first stationed in the Darwin area. A young first-lieutenant. John Hardy Griffith, cf Chicago, who made his first kill, had a busy morning. In shooting down a Zero after a desperate dogfight, his own plane was so badly damaged that he was forced to make a belly landing. He skidded 150 ft over the ground and walked away unhurt. Sixteen bullet holes were found near the cockpit of his plane. Weather Limits Activity Flying condition s over New Guinea have been generally adverse in recent weeks. This enforces a limiting factor on Australian ground activity in the Mubc- area. For the time being Allied movement is limited by the number of men who can be maintained there with supplies and equipment. Under reasonable flying conditions a fair force can be maintained, but when the weather closes down over the ranges passage of supplies is heavily reduced and reserves dwindle quickly.