Evening star., 1942-04-05
THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. G., APRIL 5, 1912
Jap Zero Pilots Wary
OF Flying Fortresses,
Princetonian Finds
Newer Model With Gun
In Toll Shoots Down 5
In Few Minutes
BY CLARK LEE,

Associated Press Foreign Correspondent
SOMEWHERE IN NORTHERN
AUSTRALIA, April 4.-Those jap
anese Zero fighters are not any too
eager to tackle Flying Fortress
any more.
Second 1t Robert Meyer of Bir-
mingham, Ala, told me about it,
I spotted him as a Princeton boy by
his haircut and sure enough he was
a classmate Of Butch" Konoye, son
of Prince Fumimaro Konoye, the
former Japanese Premier and once
captain Of the Princeton golf team.
Meyer is co-pilot of a Flying
Fortress now flying from a North
Australian base after fighting in the
Philippines and Java.
During the battles In the Philip
pines and Java the crews Of the
fortresses had tough going. The
ships were older models without
that stinger of twin 50-caliber ma
chineguns in the tail.
Blind Spot Eliminated.
The japanese quickly found the
blind spot and would fly in directly
behind the fin. shooting from an
angle on which the fortress guns
could not bear.
When the newer fortress arrived
it was a different story. The first
encounter was disastrous.
Our gunners held their fire untfl
the Zeros climbed confidently into
position about 100 yards behind the
tail. then squeezed the trigger grips"
Meyer said.
"One of our Fortresses alone got
five and perhaps six Zeros within a
few minutes. Since then the Zeros
will not attack unless they get above
the Fortresses.
1T used to be that we couldn't
see what was going on" Meyer con-
tinued, "but now the pilots have a
ringside seat and usually sight the
Nips first.
How Americans Attack.
TT happens like this. The leader
takes the air and circles, we climb
in behind and start grabbing alti-
tude heading toward the target.
MY former chief pilot, who can't
be named since he Is now major,
was the sleepiest guy in the world
and used to catnap all the way to
the target area. Once he was there
he was wide awake like the rest OF
us.
I'VE observe radio silence until
we are near the target and then
switch on the inter-plane phones.
Those Zeros sure get upstairs
fast in one big circle and they have
been flying about our altitude. The
pilots keep strict watch for the at
tackers and soon some one will call
oh, oh, there's half a dozen at 8
o'clock
Then we turn In their direction,
bank slightly and open fire. The
Japs usually take only one pass, div
ing down fast and giving Us burst
as they pass but they do not return
for more.
Different From Bataan.
Some Zeros refrain from attack
ing but have developed a new trick
Of flying at the same height as the
fortresses about mile away and ra-
doing to ground anti-aircraft the
fortress speed. altitude and direct
ing the fire from below.
After Bataan, where I've been ac-
customed to see nothing in the air
but what our troops call "J-4O,"
which is any japanese aircraft, it
was a wonderful experience to ar
rive In Australia and witness friendly
planes flying and to meet American
pilots.
Contrary to those on Bataan,
these pilots have no complaints
about certain of our pursuit ships,
saying its heavier armament, pro-
tective features, level and diving
speeds compensate for its inability
to climb as fast as Zero.
Once a pursuit gets atop a Zero,
it's one less Zero"