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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 0273.PDF
FEBRUARY 5TH, 1942 FLAMING RICOCHET : A remarkable photograph of an Axis bomber which had been shot down in flames over the Mediter ranean, bouncing off the water and about to make the final plunge. > own line. The Empire air forces could not be everywhere, and good use must have been made of the hours of night. o\Recent reports suggest either that a .£?..nsiderable part of the enemy rein forcements were medium or light tanks, or else that some new types of fighter aircraft have recently been sent to the help of Air Vice-Marshal Coningham, for there has been repeated mention lately of successful attacks on armoured vehicles. American Fleet in Action TT is extremely refreshing to hear -*- that the American fleet has begun to take an active part in operations in the "Pacific. The first mention of U.S. warships was that cruisers as well as destroyers and aircraft took part in the attack on the large Japanese convoy in the Strait of Macassar. This fight went on for five days, and the damage done to the enemy was much heavier than was at fiTst re ported. At least one capital ship, probably an aircraft carrier, was sunk. Then, either in the last days of January or on February 1st (the date- was left uncertain), U.S. warships and aircraft (again we must assume car riers) made a surprise attack on Japan ese naval and air bases in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands in the Western Pacific. « The Marshall Islands are a Japanese mandate, and it was from bases there that the attacks on Wake and Midway Islands were launched. The Gilbert Islands are a British pos session. Japanese fleet auxiliaries were sunk, military installations ashore were both shelled and bombed, and' many enemy aircraft were de- BRITISH AIR LOSSES TO JAN. 31st Over GB. A'crft Jan 25 0 , 26 2 .. 27 0 „ 28 0 „ 29 0 . 30 0 31 0 2 Totals : Nor Over Continent B'brs Ftrs 0 0 3 0 0 0 6 1 0 1 0 0 5 0 14 2 Middle Far East East A'crft. A'crft. 6 0 (4 p 'Its safe) 1 1 1 0 2 1 1 0 1 1 1 No report 13 3 th, 3.200; Middle East about 921 ; Far Ea=t 19. - «troyed in the air and on the ground. The Americans lost n aircraft and two of their ships suffered minor damage. The composition of this American force has not been stated, but its sudden appearance indicates that it felt no fear of being overwhelmed by the Japanese battle fleet, either be cause it knew that the latter was too far distant or because it was itself pro tected by battleships. The distances in the Pacific are great, and rapid movements of ships from one point to another are not to be expected. But now at last the U.S. fleet is beginning to make itself felt, and the days are drawing to a close when the Japanese could steam wherever they liked and land troops here, there and every where without interference. The Empire forces have evacuated the mainland of Malaya and retired to the island of Singapore. The cause way connecting the island with' the mainland has been blown up. The next stage will probably be a struggle for air superiority. The A.A. guns of the island have kept the enemy bombers at a height from which accu rate bombing of targets was impos sible. Hurricanes have been active in attacking the raiders, and the pilots are confident that with more fighters of that class they could break up the Japanese formations. Reinforcements have recently reached the island. " ENEMY AIR LOSSES TO JAN. Jan. 25 „ 26 „ 27 „ 28 29 „ 30 ., 31 Totals : Over G.B. 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 North Over Continent 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 5,619; Middle Far East. 154 Middle East 3 ' 1 2 1 0 0 0 7 31st. Far East 3 17 3 10 15 1 No report 49 East, over 3 452 : GIVING HIM A TIP : A South African pilot who hajK'from Zululand examining the damage received from ramming a Fiat G.50 in ther&ir. Tie portly gentleman in War Correspondent's attire is Quejflin Re/ynolc
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