AUXILIARY AIR FORCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 24634, 16 June 1941, Page 6

AUXILIARY AIR FORCE

FINE; RECORD OF VICTORIES NINE HUNDRED VICTIMS ißec. 9 p.m.) RUGBY, June 14., Interesting figures of the air victories gained by the Auxiliary Air Force are revealed. Pilots of the fighter squadrons of the Auxiliary Air Force have now destroyed over 900 aircraft—a quarter of the total shot, down by the Fighter Command in the defence of this country. In the Battle of Britain last year the auxiliary squadrons accounted for about 700 jof the 2375 enemy machines known to have been destroyed. The pilots and ground crews of these squadrons, which was first formed in 1925; received their training at week-ends and during holidays. Later more squadrons came into being, with improved flying facilities. Today four of these squadrons each have over 100 enemy aircraft to their credit. How cannon shells of a night fighter found their mark in the bomb racks of a. Heinkel 111 in the early hours of Saturday morning was,,told by the. Air Ministry News Service.' The'enemy aircraft blew up with such terrific force that the British pilot heard the noise of it above the-, roar of his own engine. His plane was blown oyer on its back, and he flew through a wall of flames upside down. He righted the aircraft, and when his sight had been recovered from a. blinding .flash he saw what was left of the Heinkel fall in blazing pieces to the earth.. Although his plane was smothered, ,in soot and oil, the only damage was a hole in the oil pipe.