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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 0772.PDF
252 APRIL 3RD, T94T. WAR IN THE AIR (Continued) have been raided from the air on numerous occasions, and heavy bombers (we may guess that they are based on Malta, but there is no reason why they should not have come from farther afield) have raided an aero- drome at Tamet and shipping in the harbour at Sirte. The Germans have succeeded in getting some of their aircraft across to the Dodecanese islands. The Italians seemed to have lost interest in those once-treasured possessions since the British landed in Crete, but the Germans are trying to galvanise the Axis into new life since they arrived in the Mediterranean. So the R.A.F. has resumed its raids on the islands, and a number of German machines were destroyed on the ground at Scarpanto aerodrome in a day raid. Calato aerodrome has also been raided, while a merchant ship was bombed and machine-gunned in the harbour of the island of Astropalia. Our Newest Carrier 'TVHE Admiralty is naturally not -*- going to tell us how the repairs to the carrier H.M.S. Illustrious are pro- ceeding in Alexandria harbour, but the statement has been permitted that another and still newer carrier, H.M.S. Formidable, has joined the Mediter- ranean Fleet and has been taking part in recent operations. She is a sister to the Illustrious, of 23,000 tons dis placement, and mounting 4.5 inch guns. She must have accompanied the Fleet on a sweep in the central Mediterranean in the third week of March, during which one enemy reconnoitring aircraft was shot down and at least one other damaged. Presumably the fighters of the For- midable have been "blooded." In this connection the Admiralty has published the interesting news th;it by now over 400 enemy aircraft have been destroyed or severely damaged by the guns of H.M. ships, Allied war- ships, and the guns on merchant shipping. While on the subject of the Navy, it is now possible to give some details of co-operation on numerous occasions between the South African Air Force and British warships off the coast of Somaliland. One of the heaviest of these bombardments was at Modun, a small town about four miles inland from the port of Brava. As soon as the target was registered by aircraft, bembaidment from the sea began. The idrcraft corrected the first two salvo*, after which much destruction was caused by salvos from the sea. When the Italians discovered that DRESSING FOR A SHOW : A fewminutes after this picture was taken in the locker-room at a Bomber Com-mand station, these men, the crew of a heavy bomber, were on their way toraid enemy territory. South African aircraft were directing the bombardment, two CR42S started to attack them by diving simul- taneously from astern. The rear gunner in the South African aircraft repeatedly bit one of them which dived away and landed. The second fighter was completely beaten for speed by the South African, who at once resumed his co-operation with the Navy, indicating Italian aero- dromes as the target. On another occasion a reconnais- sance aircraft of the S.A.A.F. spotted for the Navy, who were engaged in the bombardment of enemy troop encampments near Brava, at the main road junction leading to Mogadishu. Spotting was extremely accurate and most of the salvos fell among tents. From the air the terrified Italian troops could be seen running from the tents and taking cover in the bush. For months past the airmen have been engaged in a constant watch on enemy shipping, which they often attacked, especially on all movements in Kismayu and Mogadishu harbours. Defences and harbours also have con- stantly been reconnoitred and photo- graphed. The case was recently recorded of a fighter pilot picking up another whose machine had been shot down and both escaping. This exhibition of pluck and resource occurred when a South African squadron attacked the aerodrome of Diredawa and destroyed ten enemy aircraft and damaged a number of others. The rescued pilot— a D.F.C. Captain—said: "When the shot hit my aircraft smoke began to pour into the cockpit and blinded me. I was forced to land and was just going to set fire to my machine and run into the bush when I noticed another of the pilots of my flight circling around and firing at enemy troops to keep them away from me. I never dreamed he would land, for anti-aircraft guns were firing at him continuously, and I was just about to rush for the bush when I heard him shouting to me. When I saw he had landed I ran as fast as I could and climbed on to one of his wings, but his engine was revving so hard that I was blown right off again by blast from the airscrew. I then tried to climb on to the pilot's back and shoulders as he was taxying back to the end of the aerodrome with the Italians firing at us all the time. We realised, however, that I should not be able to stay on clinging to his shoulders, so I climbed over his head on to his lap and got my feet on to the rudder bar. So, with enemy guns still bombarding the aerodrome, we got off. It was a pretty good take-off. I worked the stick and rudder and the pilot from underneath me operated the flap and undercarriage levers. We flew quite normally back to our base and made a successful landing." Other pilots in the squadron who
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