AIR BATTLES

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23617, 29 March 1940, Page 7

AIR BATTLES

THREE IN ONE DAY BRITISH SUCCESSES DRAMATIC NARRATIVES By Telegraph—Press Association —Copyright British Wireless LONDON, March '27 There was a marked increase today in aerial activity on the Western Front in the neighbourhood of Metz. A- formation of seven enemy reconnaissance aircraft escorted by fighters was intercepted and engaged by Royal Air Force fighter patrols. Several combats occurred and the British fighters broke up the enemy formation and forced him to abandon the reconnaissance. One of the British patrols engaged nine enemy fighters, two of which were seen to go down in flames,

In the course of three distinct battles yesterday, in the morning, afternoon and evening, seven British pilots encountered 31 enemy machines of four different types, namely, Mosserschmitts 109, Messerschmitts 110, twin-engined cannon-firing type, Heinkel and Dornier. The day's bag was five Messerschmitts brought down and destroyed, one Dornier, and one Messerschmitt driven down and believed destroyed. This squadron's score in tile war to date totals 11 enemy machines known to have been destroyed, with two more as possibles. Thrilling Oombats Described Two pilots in the afternoon light, a sergeant-pilot and a flying-officer, each engaged a Messerschmitt in combat. The flying-officer definitely accounted for his quarry, sending it down in flames and smoke after getting a full burst into it from his eight guns. The sergeant-pilot chased his machine for a while and it suddenly disappeared into a cloud, with smoke pouring from it. In the morning battle a 26-year-old flight-lieutenant from London was out on patrol when ho saw a Heinkel bomber. He chased it and at 20,000 feet ran right into four Dormers flying toward Paris, escorted by three Messerschmitt 110's. He got on to the tail of one of the Dorniors and poured bullets into it until his ammunition was exhausted. German Formation Broken Up Oil poured from the engine of the enemy machine and it slipped from 15,000 to 4000 feet and appeared to bo trying to limp back to Germany. The pilot believed, however, that it failed to do so. While attacking this Dornier the pilot was himself attacked by one of the Messerschmitt 110's, a burst of whoso cannon peppered his wings, cockpit and tail with shrapnel, and he had to land. The other Dorniers went on. Two Hurricane pilots went up immediately afterward. They succeeded in breaking up the enemy formation and forcing them to alter their course toward the frontier. Dive Into Middle of Enemy Draft In the evening battle a flying-officer, who was out on patrol with two other machines, went to investigate some anti-aircraft fire. He found 12 Messerschmitt 109's with three or four other Messerschmitts flying higher some distance away. These could not see him, as he was flying from the direction of the sun. He dived right into the middle of the formation. Two of the enemy machines made oil' home.

The flying-officer got on the tails of the two other machines which started to climb. He attacked otic machine, which turned and crashed. He followed the other machine back over Germany, and iii so doing was attacked from behind, and four bullets made holes in tin; wings of his machine. His pursuer then disappeared. The airman kept straight on until over the aerodrome of the machine lie was chasing and engaged it in a dogfight. The German made a miscalculation and pulled out in front of the flv-ing-officer, who hit him with a 90 per cent deflection.