NIGHT STRIKING

Timaru Herald, Volume CLVI, Issue 23082, 22 December 1944, Page 5

NIGHT STRIKING

Work Of Mosquito Crews New Zealanders Engaged By Telegraph—-N.Z. Press Assn.—Copyright LONDON, December 20. “It is the best job in the Bomber Command,” said a pilot from Christchurch, who is flying a Mosquito Mk. 16 in a squadron attached to a light night striking force. These latest Mosquitoes are equipped with a pressure cabin and operate at 30,000 feet. They carry a bomb load of 4000 lbs and so far have dropped a total of 12.000 tons of bombs on Germany, including 2200 tons on Beilin. Flying at 30,000 feet is very exhausting for the crew—pilot and navigator—so the air pressure cabin has been introduced to reproduce conditions of flying at about 5000 or 6000 feet less than the actual height. Pressure is increased by about two pounds a square inch above the outside pressure.

Several New Zealanders whose names cannot be mentioned for reasons of security are flying in squadrons of the light night striking force. It is composed entirely of Mosquitoes which have proved themselves one of the most valuable aircraft of the war. The squadrons have varied duties. They drop marker flares for heavy bombers, help to confuse German defences by decoying enemy nightfighters away from the main bomber stream, in addition to dropping bombs. They have been used to attack as many as 12 different targets in one night. Their use as decoys has helped to decrease the rate of loss of heavy bombers—which has never been lower in the war than at present. Value of High Speed

The speed of the Mosquitoes, which is stated to be more than 400 miles an hour, allows them to perform duties which would be impossible for heavier aircraft, and, in addition to precision bombing, they carry out many “nuisance” raids to keep the German defences in a state of confusion. Their speed also allows them to take advantage of a short period of fine weather during the winter, because they can bomb a target and return to the base in good weather, whereas slower “heavies” often cannot be safely employed in the same short periods. The Mosquitoes have proved very valuable in what is known as “upsetting life in Berlin,” by their frequent raids, which can be completed in practically half the time that heavy bombers require.

Their speed and great height at which they operate have resulted in their losses being extremely low, in spite of the fact that the Germans are now using special anti-Mosquito guns, which fire to twice the height at which heavy bombers usually fly. Night fighters also have not worried them unduly, and jet-fighters have so far not proved the slightest menace, because although they have greater speed than Mosquitoes, they are less manoeuvrable and can easily be seen. These Mosquitoes are far more economical than heavy aircraft as they are cheaper to build, and df they should be lost only two engines and a crew of two are “written off,” compared with four engines and seven of a crew in heavy bombers. Described as “Excellent”

With a range of more than 1500 miles, important distant targets like Berlin are comfortably within their reach, but they can only be regarded as medium-range bombers, and for that reason are not suitable for strategic bombing, and they would have this limitation if used in the Far Eastern theatre. But for everything else they are described as “excellent.” Mosquitoes, therefore, are a very useful addition to the bombing fleet, but in spite of their impressive bombload, they are unlikely ultimately to replace heavy aircraft. - The New Zealanders describe them as “beautiful aircraft.”

“Flying with a light night force is a wonderful job because we are usually above worry level—flak and fighters—and also above the clouds. It is marvellous to fly under the great big’, shining stars, really beautiful,” said a Christchurch pilot. “We bomb on markers laid for us and sometimes ‘stooge’ around over half of Germany, setting all the sirens going and sending everyone into shelters. Yes, it is a very satisfactory job.”