FIGHTER PILOTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25365, 25 October 1943, Page 2

FIGHTER PILOTS

NEW ZEALANDERS IN ACTION RAID IN THE SOLOMONS (N.Z.E.F. Official War Correspondent) PACIFIC BASE, (Rec. 7 p.m.) Oct. 14. Helping in the destruction of 15 enemy fighters over the Japanese airfield at Kahili, Bougainville, pilots of the New Zealand Fighter Squadron took part in the vast Allied air raid which blasted many targets on this enemy stronghold and started huge fires. More than 130 aircraft took part in the attack, including Army Liberator bombers, and Navy Avenger dive and torpedo-bombers. The fighter cover came from Lightnings, Corsairs, and New Zealand-piloted Kittyhawks. The Kahili airfield, gun positions, supply dumps, and buildings constituted targets for the accurate precision bombing of the big Liberators, which left a pall of smoke through which the medium bombers went in afterwards. Strong anti-aircraft defence damaged some of the Allied bombers, and every available Japanese fighter was in the air, attacking the striking force unceasingly for 20 minutes. One Liberator hit by a Zero that had made an almost suicidal run through the bomber formation dropped out. Its crew baled out, but were promptly strafed by the pilot of the Zero. A second Liberator, risking almost certain destruction, dropped down to give protection to the parachuting crew of the first, though it was isolated and heavily outnumbered by enemy fighters. It was badly shot up, and in crash-landing on \ an Allied emergency landing field afterwards the pilot and co-pilot were killed and the remainder of the crew injured. The Allied fighter escort accounted for 15 enemy aircraft without loss to itself. Another Zero crashed after taking off from the neighbouring aerodrome of Kara.