Evening star., 1944-02-25


tionS of American heavy
bombers today smashed at
aircraft plants at Regensburg,
Stuttgart and other targets
deep in Germany.
BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, Feb. 25.-The Raj
last night joined in the two-way
assault on the German aircraft
industry, flying 1000 bombers
from Britain to Schweinfurt
and other formations from Italy
to Steyr, after the United States
Air Force hit the same targets
in simultaneous blows from both
the western and southern bases
and shot down 156 Nazi planes.
Today great fleets of daylight
bombers crossed the Channel to
carry the great raids into their sixth
consecutive day.
The RATS night-riding bombers
were guided to both targets by the
flaming wreckage left only a few
hours before by the American day
light raiders. The British bombs
added still further damage to
Schweinfurt's sprawling ball-bearing
plants and to the German aircraft
factory at Steyr, in old Austria.
Bombers Down SO Planes.
In announcing results of yester-
days raids, United States headquar-
ters said 9th Air Force bombers
downed SO Nazi planes during their
attacks on Schweinfurt and fighter
plane factories at Gotha while their
accompanying fighters accounted for
81 others in terrific air battles.
Bombers of the 18th Air Force at
tacking Steyr bagged 36 Nazi
fighters.
The Britain-based American forces
lost 40 bombers and 10 fighters; the
ltaly-based formations lost Is For
tresses and 8 fighters with 2
other fighters missing, and the
RATS night losses were IS bombers.
In Tuesdays two-way punch. the
first of the series of simultaneous
assaults from west and south, the
combined American forces shot
down 133 German fighters.
The British announcement said
last nights heavy assault on
SchWeinfurt actually was carried out
In two separate raids.
Fires Still Burning.
"Schweinfurt, the German center
OF ball-bearing production, was the
main objective and was attacked
twice during the night" it said.
Fires started yesterday by the
United States 9Th Air Force were
still burning on the arrival of our
first force.
"The target was effectively marked
and by the end of the second attack
a great conf1agration was seen with
smoke rising to a great height.
"Objectives in Northwest Ger
many also were bombed and a very
extensive mine laying program was
completed. Thirty-flve of our air.
craft are missing"
RAF crewmen returning to Italy
from the night raid on the Steyr
area said they attacked built up
areas and railroads as we'll as the
aircraft factory. They dropped their
missiles in the midst of the flames
started by the Americans yesterday.
They also reported heavy flax and
some night fighters.
One Mosquito Missing.
Another announcement said that
of all the formations of American
Marauder bombers and RAF me-
dium and light bombers which
pounded Northern France and Hol-
land yesterday, only one Mosquito
bomber failed to return.
The 9th Air Forces fleet of Ma
rauders went roaring back over Bel
gium and Holland this morning.
In the afternoon military objec-
tives in Northern France were hit
by Boston, Mitchell and Mosquito
bombers, escorted by Typhoons and
Spitfires.
An American communique issued
here said the tWo-way attacks yes
terday marked the fourth day this
week a major offensive has been
continued against aircraft factories
and related industries by the largest
number of planes ever dispatched
against the Reich"-a statement
suggesting the forces involved YES
terday at least approached Sum-
days record force of 1000 planes,
half of them bombers.
In the first five days this week,
the American four-engined aerial
forces in Britain were idle only 'one
Observation-Disclosures on that day
the Italian contingent kept the ball
rolling by making their first attack
on Steyr.
The Americans called yester-
days Schweinfurt attack just an
other milk run, but elsewhere the
Nazis put up a stiff fight.
On the Gotha operation, the sky
was said to have been so full of
blazing wreckage of planes that
pilots had to pick their way through.
Many of the bombers came home
seriously crippled.
Man Convicted Of Attempt
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