Evening star., 1944-04-27
1000 Planes
Blast Germany
And France
Schweinfurt, Essen
And Atlantic Wall
Fortificutions Hit
By the Associated press.

BY the Associated Press.
LONDON, April 27.-Two thou
sand Allied planes slammed per-
haps 5000 tons of bombs on
Nazi targets in the gigantic pre-
invasion air offensive today,
American bombers pounding
heavily at the German Atlantic
wall after an RAF assault on
Essen, Schweinfurt and rail
yards near Paris.
Well over 1000 British bombers
rainedv possibly 4.500 tons Of explo-
sives and incendiaries on the Nazi
cities and rail target by moonlight,
opening the 18th consecutive day OF
bombing.
Then 500 to 750 American Lib
orators and Flying Fortresses dashed
out against military detectives in
Northern France, supported by ESQ
to 500 fighters.
Mustangs and Thunderbolts from
the fighter-bomber section of the
9th Air Force hit five targets in
Belgium today, including the Haine-
st. Pierre Railroad yards, without
suffering loss, it was announced.
The German radio declared Allied
planes roared into Southern and
Southwest Germany this morning
possibly coming from Italy to make
the day operations a two-way blow
and that great air battles were
raging.
70 British Bombers Lost.
Twenty-nine big British bombers
were lost in the triple assault on
the armaments city of Essen-the
Pittsburgh of Germany"-Schwein-
furt and its ball-bearing factories
and the railways at villeneuve st,
Georges, Is miles southeast of Paris.
Mosquito bombers also attacked
the port of Hamburg, with two
planes lost, and other bombers laid
mines.
German bombers apparently IN
tent on harassing invasion mobili-
zation struck at the English coast
three times during the night, and
Berlin identified objectives as the
naval base of Portsmouth and other
harbors.
Two hours after the main assault
on Essen, home of the Krupp
Works, great area of fire over
spread the city and smoke rose
10000 feet, the Air Ministry de-
clared. The Schweinfurt bombing
was particularly well concen-
trated."
Ninth Attack on Essen.
Essen once was the main prop Of
the German heavy armament in
dustry, and was last pounded by
more than 75o British bombers
March 26 and by Mosquito SQUAD
rons on April 8.
This was the ninth attack on
Essen, 600-mile round trip per-
mitting the raiders to carry heavy
bomb loads. The Air Ministry dis
closed recently that the Germans
had rebuilt extensively in the city,
which once had been believed
Knocked out of the war.
Schweinfurt, hammered repeatedly
by American heavy bombers, is in
Southwest Germany ATS miles from
British bases, and once produced
half of all the Nazis' bearings.
Some of the costliest air battles Of
the war have been fought in the
American blows on Schweinfurt.
The Nazi-controlled Paris radio
declared that Paris had been under
attack for more than an hour and
said the raid "cost the lives of many
Frenchmen." The Raj has been
hitting steadily at prime rail targets
in this sector.
U. s. Raiders Unchallenged.
The RAF strike against Essen and
Schweinfurt followed an assault on
Brunswick Wednesday by $50 to
500 American Fortresses and Lib
orators with 1,500 tons of bombs. in
which not bomber was lost. No
German fighters rose to challenge
the bombers' large fighter escort.
In other operations yesterday
light bombers struck military objec-
tives in Northern France and Bel
GUM; Marauders, Thunderbolts
and A-20 Havoc light bombers
raided the rail centers at Louvain
and Saint Ghislain; Mitchells and
Bostons also plastered Saint CHS
lain; United States fighters at
tackled German airdromes in
France, destroying grounded planes,
and RAF Spitfires penetrated into
Germany for the first time, shooting
up parked gliders without loss.
Six American fighters were lost
during all operations.