DAY OFFENSIVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24825, 23 February 1944, Page 5

DAY OFFENSIVE

AIBCBAFT FACTORIES

NIGHT RAID ON STUTTGART (Reed. S.SO p.m.) LONDON, Feb. 22

American heavy bombers from Britain yesterday kept up the nonstop hammering of Germany's vital aircraft centres. They were out in great strength, and had fighter escort. Again their main targets were aircraft factories in the Brunswick area. More damage was added to the two aeroplane factories at Brunswick, which were badly hit in Sunday's raid. Other targets were at Hanover, another centre 45 miles south-west of Berlin, and aircraft depots near the Dutch border. The Germans did not send up much fighter opposition, although some of the heavy bomber formations came in for severe attacks from enemy fighters which managed to break through tho American fighter escort. Thirty-three enemy aircraft were destroyed by American fighters. It is not yet known how many were shot down by the American bombers. American losses were 15 bombers and five fighters. Absence of Luftwafie After facing attackers day and night for 24 hours, the Luftwaffe appeared unable to face the Lancasters and Haliiaxes which bombed Stuttgart on Sanday night in the strength shown on the previous night, when the force bombing Leipzig was attacked all the way to the target. On Sunday night many of the Allied pilots were reported to have got through to Stuttgart without seeing any fighters. Some flares went down over the city of Stuttgart after the attack started and there were several combats while 2000 tons of bombs saturated the city. Even although there were fewer fighters than had been reported for some time, the ground barrage was heavy. One pilot, commenting on the anti-air-craft fire, said that it appeared so near that he felt he could put out his hand and touch it. Fighters Kept on Ground An experienced pilot, who took part in the bombing of both Leipzig and Stuttgart, said that the Luftwaffe undoubtedly was feeling the strain, tjven apart from the large number of fighters the Americans had shot down, many must have been in need of minor repairs and unable to get off the ground. In contrast to the majority of airmen, one gunner counted nine enemy fighters, but none attacked.

The continuous heavy air attacks against Germany, which had the saturation of the defences as their most recent aim, have put a terrific strain on the Luftwaffe. Apart from their continuous labours against day and night sweeps by the terrific forces of Allied machines, many German fighters have been shot down or disabled by raiders, which have .stretched the Nazi defence by attacking many targets. On Monday morning, a small force of R.A.F. and Australian Mosquitoes attacked military objectives in Northern France. Early yesterday afternoon a small force of Marauders and medium bombers of the United States Njnth Air Force attacked an airfield at Coxyde, on the Belgian coast. In each operation the bombers were escorted and covered by Typhoons. None of our aircraft is missing.