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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 0941.PDF
APRIL 24TH, 1941. 297 • WAR IN THE AIR (Continued) A BLISTER FOR A POULTICE : The Consolidated Catalina flying boats have twin Vickers K guns mounted in themidship blister turrets. damage was great, for though most of the fire bombs were extinguished a number got hold of buildings. It was the heaviest raid by either side so far during the war. The Germans seemed to take no particular aim, but dropped their bombs anywhere in the London area. The next night the R.A.F went for Berlin again. The Luftwaffe re- torted on London. Once reprisals start there is no reason why they should come to an end. They are likely to go up in a crescendo, for neither side buys immunity for its rwn cities by such a policy. Another recent innovation by the Luftwaffe was a raid on Northern Ireland, where bombs were dropped over most districts of the six counties, but mostly on Belfast. During the period of ihe moon the R.A.F. night fighters and the A.A. gunners had more success than has be- fore rewarded their efforts. The Beaufighter proved particularly effec- tive, but Defiants and Hurricanes also had useful scores. In the first 20 days of April, 71 German night bombers •were shot down, 50 of them by fighters. From the beginning of the year up to the same date the total destroyed was 146. A Sea Shanty CHIPS at sea, sometimes flying the ^ White Ensign and sometimes the proud "Red Duster," have done more than was expected of them in shooting down enemy aircraft which have attacked them, but the case of the /< maica Producer must be very neaily unique. One evening in March those upon the bridge of the British merchant ship Jamaica Producer saw an enemy aircraft flying straight to- wards their ship in a long, low glide. Then, at a distance of about 400 yards, the German pilot opened his throttle, but those on the bridge of the steamer considered that he could not possibly cleai the masthead height of their ENEMY AIR Over G April 6 .. 7, 8 9 , 10 I**1 • •* , 13, >•* . 15 , 1617 , 10. 19 81! 14 3 16 2 10 6 5 . 2 77 Total in Nori he LOSSES TO .B. Over Europe — — 1 1 11 — 2 | 2 — 8 n Area : 4,431. East about 1,393. APRIL 19th Middle East 26 — 22 22 5 31 13 2 ! •) 14 145 Fotal in Middle ship. The helm of the Jamaica Pro- ducer was at once put hard over with the intention of fouling the enemy air- craft with the foremast, or at least' upsetting his plan of attack. As soon as the ship began to swing the Heinkel opened fire with his forward machine- guns at very close range and, at the same time, began to climb steeply. The enemy's fire was returned by the Jamaica Producer, the chief officer manning the gun in face of the enemy's close-range fire. Seeing that he might not clear, the German pilot attempted to swerve to port. In doing so he fouled the fore topmast with his tail. A terrific jolt was felt on the deck of the ship as the tail struck the upper crow's-nest. The wireless aerial and fore topmast backstay came crashing down on the deck and these were fol- lowed by great pieces of the aircraft which fell all over the ship and into the sea around. Those on the bridge saw the Heinkel sideslip round the stern in a very unstable manner. • A rating who was aft at the time saw the aircraft, without a tail, come close over his head, and a moment later a huge column of water spouted up as the Heinkel crashed into the sea. During the whole of this extra- ordinary incident the passengers on board continued to play bridge. The Modern Thermopylae T ATER ne—s from the great struggle •*-' in the North of Greece tells that the British and Greeks are still falling back, and outside experts hold that a shorter line is necessary, considering the paucity of the Allied forces op- posed to the great German drive. The British, or, rather, the Empire forces (though most of them are of British stock and proud of it) have evacuated the area of Mount Olympus. The Germans have, amassed rjat numbers of Junkers and Me 109s to help their ground troops, more than had been expected, and they have been harassing the Allied supply con- voys The Hurricanes are doing wonders and shooting down large num- bers with small loss to themselves, but there are not enough Allied fighters to deal with all the swarms opposed to them. The Blenheims are hitting back on the German troop movements and supply columns, and prisoners have told of how the invading soldiers hate their attentions. But numbers are what our side wants. A Warning T^HE British Government has an- -*- nounced that its bombing attacks on Berlin (in which Stirling machines took part) were not reprisals, but part of the national policy of hitting the enemy where our blows do most to- wards winning the war. Towards Rome the Government has adopted a different policy, having issued a warn- ing that if the enemy bombs Athens or Cairo the R.A.F. will strike back i.t Rome and will continue to do so while the war lasts. It also exposed an Italian plan for dropping captured British bombs on the Vatican City in order to discredit the British. The strictest orders have been issued to the R.A.F. that in no circumstances is the Vatican City to be damaged. BRITISH a AIR LOSSES TO Aircraft Pilots Aircraft April 67 8 „ 9.. 10 II 1213 14 15 16 17 18 19 Total over total ^ _ 5 91 1 8 — 2_ 4 __ | — 1 _ _ 5 — 5 _ _ 8- - 8 1 1 1 61 Northern Area, 1,876. APRIL 19th Middle Eait Aircraft — 2 10 7 4 2 4 1 1 31 Middle East not available, but about 164.
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