|
With the RCAF somewhere in England, June l5, 1944 - Canadian Press – “Rockets are accurate but bombs are far more spectacular from the pilot's point of view." That is the consensus of pilots of an all-Empire Typhoon squadron based in southern England in which there are many Canadians serving. The squadron made its first rocket attack October 25, 1943, destroying the power house at Caen, France. Only recently was the use of rockets by Allied aircraft taken off the secret list. And since this sector, Commanded by Group Captain (GC) Paul Davoud, DSO, DFC, MiD of Kingston, Ontario, includes rocket-carrying Typhoons and RCAF Typhoon fighter-bomber squadrons, practically all types of targets can be assigned to it.
The aircraft take off from the same base after attending the same briefing and, after the show, compare observations. Frequently these various squadrons act as "flak busters" for the one completing the high or low-level mission. They strafe anti-aircraft defenses from "the deck" while Rocket Projectiles (RP's) or bombing attacks are delivered from above. As may be expected, the devotees of RP's and bombs seek to out-do each other in complete destruction of targets so that a slightly damaged bridge or rail junction does not have to be finished off with the other's weapon. Both have reported exceptionally good results recently. Two squadron's of RCAF Typhoon fighter-bombers, escorted by two RAF "flakbusting" squadrons, accurately bombed and destroyed an important railway bridge south of Rouen on May 28th and disrupted rail communications near by. "Rocket pursuit" Typhoons, as the pilots have nicknamed themselves, from the RAF unit using the same airfield, neatly dispatched enemy wireless installations in an old fortress in the Channel Islands the day previously and destroyed the German barracks near Dieppe the same day. "The stone building just crumpled at the corners when the rockets drilled in and exploded", reported PO N. E. Arrons of Suffolk, England.
Cheers,
Tom Walsh.
|
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
