HUDSON AIRCRAFT

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21185, 7 August 1940, Page 7

HUDSON AIRCRAFT

1,000,000 MILES OF FLYING ACHIEVEMENT OF SQUADRON DESTRUCTION OF U-BOATS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyrig-lit) LONDON, August 5 The commanding officer of a Coastal Command squadron of the Royal Air Force, which has just completed 1,000,000 miles of flying in Hudson aircraft, described in a broadcast something of the work which his squadron has been carry-

ing out. A million miles, as he said, was a long way—and he calculated that enough petrol had been used to send a fleet of 400 family cars right round the world.

The squadron had been employed on reconnaissance, although when enemy aircraft were encountered the British machines had to act as fighters as well. Not infrequently, when the occasion arose, they would also be required to do bombing. Every day, under every sort of weather conditions, they go over the North Sea to find out what is happening on the other side and valuable photographs and information are brought back. A good deal of Üboat hunting had been done in the early days of the war, and the total number destroyed by his squadron was “quite impressive.” “There is no doubt about it—our Hudsons are first-class aircraft for the job of reconnaissance,” the officer said. “Although enemy fighters naturally have an advantage in speed our machines carry a very useful armament and the big types can take an enormous amount of punishment. I have been amazed sometimes at the conditions in which, on occasions, aircraft have managed to return to their bases.”