R.A.F. TAKES PART

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 6 December 1940, Page 5

R.A.F. TAKES PART

ITALIAN TROOPS HARASSED THE RETREAT IN TEPELENE AREA DIRECT HIT ON WARSHIP [British Official Wireless] (Received 6t’n December, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY. sth December. Successful attacks by R.A.F. bomber and fighter formations on Italian troops retreating in the Tepelene-Kelcyre area yesterday are described in an Air Ministry bulletin. One formation bombed a road junction and troop concentrations at Kelcyre and direct hits were registered on the road to Tepclene and Berat and other bombs exploded among buildings.

At Tepelcne a road and a bridge over a river were bombed. The bridge was observed later to be surrounded y dust and rubble as a result of the bombing. A convoy of lorries and byildings to the north of the town were also attacked. Off the coast at Santi Quaranto our bombers attacked an enemy destroyer and a direct hit was registered on the starboard quarter. Other bombs fell close to the ship. ACTIVITIES IN WESTERN DESERT Referring to other activities of the R.A.F. the bulletin says that in the Western Desert night raids were made during 3rd-4lh December on El Adem, El Solium and Sidi Barrani. Bombs fell in the target area at each place attacked. A Rhodesian squadron successfully raided stores and dumps on a road east of Chlega. The dumps were burnt out, flames reaching a considerable height. At Adarte a railway station was raided and a direct hit on the station buildings completely wrecked them. Goodstrucks on a siding and a group of huts near the station were also badly damaged. One of our aircraft on reconnaissance failed to return, but with this exception all these operations were carried out without loss. REPORTS OF FIERCE AIR BATTLE (Received 6th December, 11.30 a.m.) RUGBY, sth December. Official confirmation is still awaited in London of reports of a fierce battle between R.A.F. fighters and enemy aircraft yesterday in the Tepelene area. Greek sources report that ten enemy planes were destroyed. No R.A.F. aircraft are missing. ITALIAN AIRCRAFT LOSSES [U.P.A.-By Electric Telegraph-Copyright] LONDON, sth December. Greek planes, in co-operation with R.A.F. aircraft, are continuing their successful attacks on retreating Italian troops. During yesterday the Allied air forces destroyed 17 Italian aircraft in air battles or on the ground. R.A.F. COMMANDER IN GREECE PROMOTED LONDON, 4th December. Air Commodore J. H. D’Albiac, commanding the R.A.F. in Greece, has been promoted Air Vice-Marshal.

PLEASING PERFORMANCES

U.S. AIRCRAFT IN SERVICE WITH R.A.F. LOCKHEED HUDSON AND CURTISS HAWKE [British Official Wireless] RUGBY, 4th December. The Royal Air Force is enthusiastic about the performance of the United States aircraft it is now using. These have fought their way successfully through many operations, particularly in the Middle East. It was American aircraft which were responsible for taking the Taranto photographs. The responsibility given to American planes has teen no surprise to members of the R.A.F., who have learnt to regard with, real affection the Lockheed Hudsons, which are proving of such valuable aid in Britain’s raids from Norway to the Bay of Biscay. With regard to the American fighter types which have been in station, the R.A.F. has been greatly impressed by the fine work done by the Curtiss Hawke in France against the German Messerschmitt. In fact, the success of the French Air Force in shooting down twice as many German aircraft as they themselves lost was largely due to the Curtiss, which was responsible for the destruction of one in every three German aircraft brought down.

The types mentioned in the cable message are only two of a heterogeneous collection of American machines which are now in service in Britain. Many of these became available after Germany had overrun Northern Europe and France when a number of American military aircraft were “going begging.” and they were bought up by Britain There are many makes and types ranging from trainers to fighters and long-range bombers, but all will add to the strength of Britain and the R.A.F.

The Lockheed Hudson has already made a great name for itself and is one of Britain’s best known reconnaissance types. Actually the Hudson has been converted from a commercial type and was originally the Lockheed 14 “SuperElectra” commercial transport. The engines are Wright Cvclones. giving a total of 1700 b h.p. at 6000 feet.

The Curtiss Hawke 75A is known in America as the type P-36. It is a single-seater fighter, of which the original batch to arrive in Britain were powered by 900 h.p. Twin Wasp engines. It is believed that later deliveries have a later mark of engines with a higher rated altitude than the 12.000 ft. of the Twin Wasp SC3-g. The machine was delivered in considerable quantities to France. The original armament of the U.S. Army Air Corps machines comprised one o.sin. Browning and one 0 3in. Browning, both mounted in the top deck cowling. The first French machines had four guns, two in the fuselage and two In the wings, but alternative armament can be fitted, and it is not known what armament the R.A.F. machines carry. The original version had a maximum speed of 309 m.p.h. at 1400 ft., and- a service ceiling of 29.000 ft.