AIR FIGHTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24205, 25 January 1940, Page 10

AIR FIGHTING

BRITISH SUPREMACY (From Our Own Correspondent) LONDON, Dec. 22. Not a single British fighter aircraft has been shot down in the United Kingdom since the outbreak of war. Yet Royal Air Force Fighter Command aircraft have brought down nearly half the German bomber and reconnaissance aircraft engaged by them during the first two active months of the war. During 51 engagements over British land or sea in October and November, 21 German raiders were destroyed, of these 13 were seen to strike the ground or water. It is also known that many more failed to return to Germany. In all these engagements only one British pilot has been wounded, and that slightly. This record is all the more impressive when it is recalled that in fighting between British bombers and German fighters five Messerschmitts were shot down in flames during last Thursday's air battle over the Friesian Islands and more than 12 during the action over Heligoland on Monday. The destruction of German Messerschmitt fighters increases weekly. Most of the engagements by our Hurricanes and Spitfires have been against single raiders. It is much more difficult to gain results in this type of combat, especially where, as has frequently happened, cloud and poor visibility help the enemy. The Messerschmitts, on the other hand, have several times had considerable numbers of British bombers as their target. The safe return of the 12 British longrange fighters after their successful attack on German mine-laying seaplanes at Borkum on November 28 was also a notable performance.