FAST MACHINES

Waikato Times, Volume 128, Issue 21417, 10 May 1941, Page 11

FAST MACHINES

BRITISH AIRCRAFT GREAT NEW BOMBERS ADMISSIONS BY GERMANS (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright* LONDON, May 9 The Berlin radio, describing the clash between German bombers and British night fighters, said the latter were extremely fast. The announcer also described British bombers attacking German mine-sweepers and said: “These new bombers are monstrous. They are magnificent, deadly machines, and one must get in first to save one’s own skin.” Describing Wednesday night’s at- j tack by the Coastal Command on ' two large oil refineries and* an oil j storage plant at the mouth of the River Loire, says a British official wireless message, the Air Ministry ' reports that the first bombs found the target, and as following aircraft { came in the observers saw great fires suddenly appear. One by one the tall chimneys of the refineries toppled over. Wrenched From Base The captain of one aircraft said i it appeared as if a chimney were wrenched from its base and tossed in i the air like a caber. Very soon a wide area was all alight. The! countryside, which shortly before had j stood out distinctly in the full moon- ; light, became completely obscured by the rolling billows of smoke, which j also travelled several miles out to sea off St. Nazaire. Another force of Coastal Command \ Blenheims raided the harbour and; shipping at Bergen, Norway, on Wednesday night. In a cloudless sky, j with visibility extremely good, the crews were able to make perfect runs over the target and carry out precision bombing.