Twenty-one Soviet planes were shot down by a single Japanese plane, piloted by Sergeant-Major Saito, during the clash" over the western border of Manchoukuo and Outer Mongolia on Thursday, Japanese Air Force officers claimed yes terday.
Three Soviet planes which had made forced landings were put out of commission by" Sergeant-Major Saito's craft. He returned to his base safely after shooting his way out of a ring of hostile craft sure rounding faun, Two other Japanese tiers who distinguished themselves in Thurs day's" clashes were Lieut. Koichi Suzuki and Lieut. Jiro Furukawa. Both were wounded, There were so many Soviet planes that some of them crashed into each other and fell without having been hit by Japanese bullets, these officers stated. "The Soviet squadron which they engaged in battle fired from a. distance of 600 metres most of the time "and never nearer than 400 metres, the pilots said. The Japanese unit to which they were ailached shot down 20 Soviet craft and set fon fire four which made forced. andings, they said. The two tiers attieipated in a second clash with, a larger number of Soviet planes. Each of the Japanese tiers shot down at least one Soviet raft, they slated.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.