GREATEST AIR BATTLE

Waikato Times, Volume 194, Issue 22244, 13 January 1944, Page 3

GREATEST AIR BATTLE

THRILLING COMBAT OVER GERMANY OVER 100 ENEMY PLANES SHOT DOWN FOUR HOURS’ FIGHTING—BIG DEFENCE FORCE OUT (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, Jan. 12 At least 700 American Flying Fortress and Liberator bombers took part in an attack on North-western Germany yesterday. Travellers who arrived in Stockholm from Germany • say that isolated planes bombed Berlin yesterday. Targets east of Berlin were also attacked. Incomplete reports show that at least 100 German machines were shot down, while the Americans lost 59 bombers and five fighters. The German military spokesman described the engagement as the greatest air battle of the war. Whatever the American losses were they achieved one important object—they tempted the German fighter strength into the air, forcing them to fight for nearly four hours. The Germans had every type of plane protecting the targets. One pilot said that enemy fighters started their attacks • at the Zuider Zee, and despite the escort came £t the bombers in bunches. Swarms of fighters, including long-range Messerschmitt 109’s, challenged the bombers, which also had to contend with planes trailing bombs on long cables, planes firing rocket shells, and rocket anti-aircraft shells. - Some bombers groups met hundreds of enemy fighters, which attacked in formations of thirty at a time, smashing their way towards the heart of Fortress formations.

Attack From All Angles Although escorted most of the way by strong formations cf Lightning and Thunderbolt fighters operating shuttle relays, and protected during the withdrawal by Royal Air Force and Allied fighters, the great armada of bombers was subjected to continui ous attacks by enemy aircraft during j the entire time they were over Germany. A special communique from Hitler’s headquarters claims that 123 American planes, mostly four-en-gined bombers, were shot down for the loss of nine German fighters. The German communique describes the battle as “an air engagement on an unprecedented scale.” The enemy, concluded the communique, threw in virtually every type of aircraft which could give battle to the bombers and their assault was vicious and determined. A Washington message says the raiding force was escorted by the new American long-range fighter, the Mustang Psl, used for the first time in the European theatre. Strong German Opposition The Evening Standard correspondent states that several groups report that the German losses were four to one American. The Germans put up the strongest opposition for several weeks. The correspondent adds that he understands that the heavy bombers were not escorted for part of the trip, but swarms of Lightnings and Thunderbolts, also the new-version Mustang, accompanied the bomber groups most of the way and Royal Air Force and Allied fighters covered them during the withdrawal. One Thunderbolt formation is reported to have shot down 12 German planes without loss to itself. The German news agency states that the massed Allied fighter umbrella which accompanied the American bombers nailed down a considerable proportion of the German fighter strength. “We used new defence tactics,” it says. “The alarm was given to a chain of defence stations after the first Americans had crossed the German, observation posts. The defences thus passed from hand to hand and succeeded in breaking up the enemy attack, thereby preventing a heavy concentration against the targets.” Assembly Plants Hit Important assembly plants w r ere attacked with excellent results. At Eschersleben direct strikes were observed on machine shops and other factory installations manufacturing Focke-Wulf 190’s. At Halberstadt a Junkers 88 and 188 component plant was heavily hit. At Brunswick two of the three main assembly buildings producing Messerschmitt 110’s were destroyed and the third badly damaged. Other targets were also hit with good results.