ALLIED AIR SUCCESS

Southland Times, Issue 24758, 1 June 1942, Page 5

ALLIED AIR SUCCESS

FIGHTING OVER NEW GUINEA (Special Australian Correspondent, N.Z.P.A.) (Rec. 9.45 fc.m.) SYDNEY, May 31. Japanese fighter planes are • being encountered in increasing numbers in the South-West Pacific zone, but Allied fighters continue to score heavily against them. Eighteen Zeros which were flying towards Port Moresby along the coastal route in New Guinea were • intercepted by Allied fighters at Hood Bay, 60 miles from the port. Five were shot down and three were damaged in a series of dogfights which took place up and down the coast, sometimes at sea and sometimes 30 miles inland over impenetrable jungle. We lost only one plane. The enemy fighters apparently intended to ground-strafe Port Moresby, but not one reached its objective. The losses were among the heaviest yet inflicted on Japanese fighters. This brings the total enemy losses in a week to 20 fighters destroyed and 14 damaged and two large bombers and a flying-boat damaged. The weather on Friday made flying operations difficult. There was no other enemy offensive activity. Allied reconnaissance reports that heavy damage has been done to the aerodrome at the advance Japanese base at Lae as a result of«recent Allied bombing raids. All the buildings surrounding the aerodrome appear to have been burned out. _ The successful series of Allied night raids on Japanese-occupied bases is I continuing. Today’s Allied headquarters communique says: “Solomons and Tulagi: An enemy seaplane base was I attacked on Friday night by our air force. Fires started destroyed fuel dumps, wharves and adjoining buildings and were visible 80 miles away. Enemy flying-boats were destroyed and anti-aircraft guns at Tanamboga and Gavuth were silenced.”