UNAUTHORISED FLIGHT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26530, 4 August 1947, Page 5

UNAUTHORISED FLIGHT

FLEET OF MYSTERY FIGHTERS SPECULATION AS TO DESTINATION Rec. 1 a.m. NEW YORK, Aug. 2. The Collector of Customs at Tampa, Florida, Mr A. J. Angle, has asked all airports to be on the alert for a reporter! unauthorised flight of seven fighter planes to a "foreign country. The planes are described as privately owned, five of them Mustangs and two Lightnings Asked if the planes might be heading for the Dominican Republic, one official informed the United Press that “it was possible.’ Government officials in Washington said to-day that a widespread .search was being made for missing former army combat planes. One officer said: “ Plenty of young fellows in this country know now to fly these planes." War Department officials said that some Mustangs and Lightnings used by A.merican airmen in the war had been sold as surplus, and might be in the hands of civilians. One official replying to a question as to the possible destination of the fast little fleet said: “You know there has been some trouble in the Caribbean.’’ The Dominican Ambassador, Senor Julio Ortego Frier, said in Washington last night that his Government was mainlining constant air patrols - to sight any craft which might seek to land troops on Government territory. He said that no Dominican Government representatives had yet seen any of the reported invasion forces and that all accounts so far were based on rumours from Cuba.