HEAVY BOMBERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25804, 27 March 1945, Page 5

HEAVY BOMBERS

OVER GERMANY IN STRENGTH

RAILWAY CENTRES ATTACKED RUGBY, Mar. 25. Escorted R.A.F. Lancasters and Halifaxes were out in strength this morning over Germany, attacking Hanover, Osnabruck, and Munster, main railway centres behind the enemy lines. Visibility was excellent, and the three objectives were left in flames. Four bombers are missing. Messerschmitt 262 jet-propelled fighters opposed United States Eighth Air Force Liberators attacking oil storage depots in Germany to-day, and escorting Mustangs and Thunderbolts shot down four.

The targets, all bombed in good visibility with favourable results, were at Ehmen, 12 miles north-east of Brunswick, and Buchen and Hitzacker, east and south-east of Hamburg. More than 250 Liberators, escorted by about 210 fighters, took part in the attack. Anti-aircraft fire generally was meagre. Following R.A.F. Bomber Command’s attack on Hanover this morning, the pilot of a reconnaissance plane found smoke 22,000 feet over the city. Only the south-west part of the city was visible, and here fierce fires were seen burning. Smoke covered Osnabruck at 22,000 feet, and a thick pall hung over Munster.

A Mediterranean air communique says that Italy-based heavy bombers of the United States Fifteenth Air Force on Saturday bombed industrial installations in Berlin. Fighters provided cover for what was the longest bomber escort mission of the European war. From a total of 2600 sorties 10 of our heavy bombers and 10 other aircraft are missing. Sixteen enemy aircraft were destroyed.