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Valentines Day 1943 Various Newspaper Reports On The Engagement
TYPHOONS GET FOUR FW's FOUR F.W. 190s which were attacking high-speed launches in the Channel yesterday afternoon were shot down by Typhoons in 20 minutes. Daily Sketch 15th February 1943
Typhoons Win Fighter Battle Four FW190’s were shot down over the Channel yesterday afternoon by a Scotsman, two Belgians and a Polish pilot. Two of our pilots are missing. Six pilots from the West Riding of Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron were over the Channel in their Typhoons when they saw a couple of high-speed launches being attacked by five or six FW 190’s. The Typhoons sailed in and a “dog-fight” developed. One of the Belgians had already shot down two FW 190’s and yesterday he doubled his score. News Chronicle, 15th February 1943.
Typhoons to rescue: four F.W.s down Four F.W.190’s were shot down for a cost of two R.A.F. planes in fights over the Channel yesterday. In one fight Typhoons of the West Riding Auxiliary Squadron broke up an attack by six F.W.190s on two high-speed launches. Mustangs attacked railway targets in Northern France and Holland. Daily Express, 18th February 1943.
TYPHOONS ROUT NEWEST NAZI FIGHTERS F.W.s Routed While Attacking Launches The battles of the F.W.s began when six pilots from the West Riding of Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron, flying over the Channel in their Typhoons, saw a couple of high-speed launches being attacked by five or six enemy planes. The Typhoons promptly went in to attack. A Belgian pilot was leading a section when, in his own words: “We met four F.W.190’s. They did not see us until we fired. They split up immediately and after a dogfight for four or five minutes I saw my No. 2 shooting at one F.W.190 and being chased by another. “I turned to help him and hit the Hun, who went straight into the water. I climbed again, found my No. 2 and resumed patrol, as there were on other enemy aircraft in sight. Daily
Telegraph.
TYPHOONS ROUT NEWEST NAZI FIGHTERS F.W.s Routed While Attacking Launches The battles of the F.W.s began when six pilots from the West Riding of Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron, flying over the Channel in their Typhoons, saw a couple of high-speed launches being attacked by five or six enemy planes. The Typhoons promptly went in to attack. A Belgian pilot was leading a section when, in his own words: “We met four F.W.190’s. They did not see us until we fired. They split up immediately and after a dogfight for four or five minutes I saw my No. 2 shooting at one F.W.190 and being chased by another. “I turned to help him and hit the Hun, who went straight into the water. I climbed again, found my No. 2 and resumed patrol, as there were on other enemy aircraft in sight. A Second Clash "After fifteen minutes we saw another formation of four F.W. 190s making for Gris Nez, so we started climbing and got on theoir tails. I saw my fire hit one, but did not see what happened to him after he had turned on his back because I overshot him. I made a steep turn and got in some good bursts on another F.W. 190, which went down in flames." The Belgian pilots pilot's No. 2 was a Polish flying officer, who severely damaged other F.W.s "I could not wait to see if they crashed, because we weretwo against four," he said "I got in a long burst against the the first F.W. 190. He was climbing and turning very steeply all the time, but I saw a number of strikes and smoke. The Hun disappeared in cloud. "In the second dog-fight we were again two against four. I got in a burst before my target disappeared again in cloud. When I turned I saw him going down with smoke pouring out, making for the French coast." Another Belgian, also a flying officer, shot down his first enemy aircraft. The fourth F.W. 190 destroyed was shot down by a Scottish-born flying officer. Yorkshire Evening News, 15th February 1943.
Scot gets one of 4 F.W.s over Channel Four FW 190s were shot down over the channel early yesterday afternoon – one by a Scotsman, two by a Belgian, and one by a Polish pilot. Six pilots of the West Riding of Yorkshire Auxiliary Squadron were over the Channel in their Typhoons when they saw a couple of high-speed launches being attacked by five or six FW 190s. The Typhoons sailed in. A Belgian pilot was leading a section when in his own words: “We met four FW 190’s. They did not see us until we fired. They split up immediately and after a dog-fight for four or five minutes I saw my No. 2 shooting at one FW 190 and being chased by another. INTO SEA “ I turned to his help and hit the Hun who went straight into the sea. I climbed again, found my No. 2 and resumed patrol as there were no other enemy aircraft in sight. “After 15 minutes we saw another formation of four FW 190s going to Gris Nez, so we started climbing and got on their tails. ‘I hit one but did not see what happened to him after he had turned on his back, because I over-shot him. I made a steep turn, however and got in some good bursts on another FW 190 which went down in flames.” After a Polish flying-officer had downed a third the fourth was shot down by a Scottish-born flying officer. “My leader chased two of them,” he said “and I chased another, but lost him in cloud. When I came down again I saw two FW 190s but they also took cloud cover. “I followed, got right behind one, and gave a good burst which sent him down.” The Scotsman
N.B. The first Belgian was Raymond 'Cheval' Lallemand. The Pole was Antoni 'Tony' Polek. The second Belgian was Jean de Selys Longchamps, and the Scot was Roy Payne - who was not Scottish at all, but English. The two pilots lost were Both English: Alan 'Babe' Haddon and John 'Johnny' Wiseman. |
Copyright © 2002 609 (West Riding)
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