New Zealand Warhawks Swing Into Action

Northern Advocate, 17 March 1944, Page 2

New Zealand Warhawks Swing Into Action

j ( Official R.N.Z.A.F. Nows Service) . BOUGAINVILLE. March 15. Getting right into the swing of their ni-w assignment as dive-bombers. R.N.Z.A.F. pilots have been out daily to plaster either Rabaul town or the big Vunapore supply area near Rapopo airfield. Shattered and blazing buildings bear eloquent testimony to the destructiveness cl their attacks. The weather over the targets has been clear and the Warhawks have been able to land their bombs squarely among tin* icwn s biddings and in the wharf areas. Bombing results are reported to be excellent. In one raid the New Zealanders flew through rain squalls and thunder and lightning to reach their target. They encountered the same conditions on ihe.return trip, but the weather over the target was in Iheir favour. They unloaded their bombs in the centre of the town and just inland from the wharves where there is a large assembly area. Anti-aircraft fire thickened as the last of the raiders came in and the enemy’s ground defence gunners were still hard at work as the New Zealanders, with their bomb racks now empty turned away from the targets and swept out to sea. None of the New Zealand aircraft suffered any damage from the enemy's fire. Dived cn Towns Cue squadron made its bombing dive cn a street along the north shore of Simpson Harbour. Two bombs hit squarely on some crossroads-in the centre of the town. One scored a near miss on a jetty and others exploded on either side of the main road, doing considerable damage to the wharf and stores. Vunapore. which is set in a coconut plantation and jungle, was bombed two days running. Buildings were blasted and two bombs were seen to hit a large wharf.

One of the attacking squadrons sighted a few Zeros, but these did not attempt to interfere. Vunapore was bombed in fine second attack against a background of smoke and flames arising from Rabaul town after American Mitchells had paid it a typically destructive visit. All the bombs unloaded by the New Zealand Warhawks fell in the target area. Moderate ground fire was met on these raids, but no damage was inflicted on the New Zealand aircraft.