PILOTS RESTING

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25300, 10 August 1943, Page 2

PILOTS RESTING

BACK FROM SOLOMONS 22 JAPANESE PLANES DESTROYED (Special) AUCKLAND, Aug. 9. Lessons for future fighter pilots might well be learned from a visit to the members of a New Zealand fighter squadron now resting after a strenuous tour of duty in the Solomons area. In a little over a month the squadron shot down 22 Japanese aircraft and scored five probables, for the loss of two of its own pilots. In spite of the inequality of the figures, the pilots showed no inclination to disparage the Japanese airmen. Some 'were good, they said, and some were bad. It was wise to treat them always with care. Life moves slowly for these pilots after eventful days in the forward area of the Pacific, but they take the nonflying rest period with a cheerful nonchalance. There was a vague irreverence in their stories of the fighting and the day-to-day trivialities of existence in the battle area. They were animated only in their praise of the American Army pilots, with whom they flew, and of their own ground crews. One Pilot’s Five Victories Top-scorer for the squadron is Flying Officer G. B. Fisken, of Masterton, a veteran of the days before Singapore fell, who has five machines to his credit in the Solomons area. Three of those aircraft, one a bomber, were shot down on the same July afternoon.

The squadron flew under the command of Squadron Leader S. G. Quill, of Invercargill, the flight commanders being Flight Lieutenants E. H. Brown, of’ Hamilton, and H. R. Wigley, of Timaru. Five of the airmen went through the Malayan campaign. Characteristically quiet regarding their own exploits, the pilots were shy of publicity. Except on special occasions, they said, contact with the Japanese was a matter of chance. “We were lucky,” said one man. “We happened to run into them, but some of the others patrolled for hours without ever getting the chance of a brush with the Zeros. One day, for instance, the squadron got five, and on another seven t but sometimes for days we did not sight any.” . They were less reticent in their praise of the American flyers, who, they said, would do anything and were magnificent pilots. They were appreciative also of the help given them by the Americans in every possible way. Their own ground crews were singled out for the fine work they had done, often not in the best of conditions. There was a general feeling that the ground crews’ work often passed almost unnoticed. Warhawk’s Deadly Guns

Several of the pilots spoke of the deadly effect of the Warhawk’s battery of .50in calibre guns on the light wooden Japanese fighters, “The Warhawk can do the job nicely,” said one pilot. “The Japanese machines fall apart if you give them a good burst. I would like to try the 12-gun Hurricane against them.” In contrast, they quoted the safe return of one officer who came home with two-thirds of his rudder shot away in a fierce fight. The Warhawk they described as a very useful fighter. The airmen were unanimous in praising the manoeuvrability of the enemy fighters. “Their pilots can do anything, almost with the Zeros, and they do some silly and some cunning things,” said one. The Japanese would frequently send over 60 or 70 fighters escorting bombers and divebombers. The escort would try to draw off the fighter patrols and, if they were not succcessful, would all withdraw. One man said the Japanese confidence in the handiness ot the Zeros sometimes left them as a sitting shot after a foolish manoeuvre. The bombers rarely came below 15,000 ft, and mostly operated above that height.