GERMAN TARGETS

New Zealand Herald, Volume 81, Issue 24869, 15 April 1944, Page 7

GERMAN TARGETS

[■ aircraft factories fighter opposition I COMBATS LAST AN HOUR [ ifofli. 5.30 p.m.) LONDON, April 14 [\\ the targets hit in Germany j yesterday have been attacked before the offensive was aimed at putting back the clock for the repair work. Auesburg. which had its ninth attack." has the parent Messerschmitt plant and an experimental establishment. which is believed to be making the new Messerschmitt 410 fighter-bomber. There is also a great U-boat Diesei engine factory. Schweinfurt. which had its eighth attack.- has the most important ballbearing works in Germany. Oberpfoffenhofen has aircraft plants, and there are important air force installations at lechfeld which are usable as a startins point tor air attacks against Britain and Italy Attacks by 200 Fighters The " first crews returning from Schweinfurt reported having been heavily attacked by German fighters for nearly an hour, with as many as 200 planes participating. The Germans • used the ; 'stacked-up wolfpack" formation instead of attacking the bombers j in line abreast. The German attacks began 125 - miles before the bombers readied the target and continued until they left the area, ijf ''Photographs indicate that the ballP * bearing factory at Schweinfurt. the Dormer factories and the hangars at Oberpfoffenhofen and the hangars at Lechfeld were hit. says a United States communique. "One formation re- • i ported excellent results at Augsburg. Intense anti-aircraft fire was encountered, and at some points enemy tighter opposition was strong, but the fighter escort, which consisted of more than 1100 Mustangs. Lightnings and Thunderbolts, inflicted considerable losses CD the enemy." Bombers Land in Switzerlanu j Twelve American bombers have so \ far landed in various parts of Switzerland. says a Zurich message. Another Swiss report says that 12 of trie bombers which flew over Switzerland were signalled to land by defence squadrons, and did so. Another that refused to land was shot down by Swiss fighters. United States Marauders, in the fifth day of their new offensive, attacked military targets, including the railway centre at Namur and airfields at Chievres. in Belgium, and objectives at widely separated points on | the northern French coast. The Marauders were escorted and covered by Spitfires and Thunderbolts. One Marauder is missing. The attack on . Karnur was the second in four days on this important junction. A United States communique states 26 enemy aircraft were destroyed in the air during bombing operations on j Wednesday. I full use of air power [ AXIS PLANES DESTROYED * Washington, April is United States aircraft from last Saturday to Wednesday of this week shot flown 378 German planes and destroyed Siany more on the ground in the European theatre of the war, said the United States Secretary of War, Mr. L. Stimson. Jri the same period the United States lost 137 bombers and 57 fighters. "While the enemy still has power tor opposition when we carry our raids into German territory/' Mr. otirhson added, "opposition over France the i.owlnnds has been declining. Ine past two weeks have seen the full of British and American air power ' J support ihe Soviet drive to crush .man plane production and existing l lr forces, and also to wreck vital wernian communications." GERMAN BOMBERS ATTACKS OVER ENGLAND f , 630 prTI - i LONDON, April 11 , rew German bombers were over f »itb-east England last night and Lunhad a short alert. Bombs fell at i'laci-s, causing slight damage down CaS ,a ' tir5 ' '' iV ° ra ' ( ''' rs w'ere shot arrests in jiexico . plot against leaders f ti . -MKXI/'d city, April 13 FVtin 7 ,IIH 01 ''"lice. General Mar- ' Cn'. !l "" < ' , "] (PS t,lat 1 ! persons have to an V :,t< f l °J 1 charges of plotting Cama/.? SSn) ' i i - e V'" ' >ro< ident, General of p 1() " . 1S brotber. the Minister Ci,>r ,m r at l'' S "'" ,r Maximino Senor l o .' r "i Ust " r " f nefeneo, Presid Caruenas, and a former ' Gp'l' f // 0, 1 , : ral Pb.itarco Calles. Hot a said the plot was ' assa^n /r! t!l tho attempted * hni 1 Gamacho last nf, o" of that outrage. ^ n f ' I" 1 n a( hh'd that the v "fcutinii ro| UTious pert r ' , liculnii fje>enhed the plot as a and V, )ne " ringleader was aged Vnton/f W f rp ° VPr G0 - The '■nl.v that +W- ' " erp two homhs. so old °»usi n .>"\. " prohablv incapable of Co »feßsed na£o- accused had