FIGHTER SWEEPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 79, Issue 24250, 16 April 1942, Page 7

FIGHTER SWEEPS

LONG DAY'S WOEK BOMBERS PROTECTED ENCOUNTERS WITH ENEMY (Eecd. 9.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 14 British fighters made several large sweeps over Northern France to-day, says the British official wireless. An Air Ministry communique says a power station and other objectives near Caen, in Normandy, were bombed by British bombers. Three enemy fighters were destroyed during this operation and a fourth in a later sweep over the Calais-Boulogne area. The Air Ministry news service states that the Fighter Command carried out the longest offensive so far this year. Between 10 o'clock this morning and 7.30 this evening many squadrons of Spitfires were active. Dtfring the last sweep of the day, in which one enemy aircraft was destroyed, two American pilots were ordered from their squadron to attack eight Focke Wulf 190's flying below them. Each took his man, but they were unable to see the final results of the attacks and claimed their opponents as damaged. An enemy aircraft which was destroyed in this sweep was seen by its victor and the squadron-leader to crash into the sea. One Messerschmitt 109 which tried to break through the protecting fighters crashed into the sea. Its tail was shot away. Two squadrons were returning with bombers when three Messerschmitt 109's attacked the left-hand side of the formation, while two attacked the right. One of the three was sent down in flames. A flying-officer attended to the Messerschmitts on the other side by shooting one down and driving olf the other after damaging it. Meanwhile more enemy fighters flying below apparently decided not to join in the fighting and the bombers flew back untroubled. Or,ce again the fighters had done their job, which enabled the bombers to carry out theirs. Two of our fighters are missing.