JET-PLANE AERODROMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 25814, 9 April 1945, Page 6

JET-PLANE AERODROMES

HEAVY AMERICAN ATTACK (Rec. 11 p.m.) LONDON, Apl. 8. It is officially stated that fighters escorting 1300 American bombers attacking jet-plane aerodromes yesterday, shot down 63 planes. Bombers destroyed at least an additional 24. Most of the bombing was done visually. The results were reported as generally good. Lancasters, escorted by Spitfires, last evening bombed objectives at Ijmuiden. Bomber Command last night attacked an oil refinery near Leipzig, and Mosquitoes attacked Berlin. Photographic reconnaissance has shown that at least 21 German merchantmen and naval vessels were sunk and many others damaged by the Eighth Air Force attacks on March 30 against Bremen and Wilhelmshaven, by Eighth Air Force attacks on March 30 against Hamburg, and the R.A.F.’s attack against Hamburg on March 31. The photographs also show serious and widespread damage to U-boat building yards and naval repair fcilities at all three ports. The cruiser Koln, which was revealed as severely damaged by two direct hits, has apparently sunk to the bottom of the shallow harbour at Wilhelmshaven. Other vessels sunk include a minesweeper, two water carriers, two freighters, and six .unidentified vessels, besides a freighter capsized in dry-dock, a liner low in the water, and another liner on fire and listing.