Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

Hmmm... Maybe somone here can help? Which Blenheim Squadrons operated on Malta from the middle of January 1942? I cannot find anything in the ORBs for Nos. 18, 21, 107 Squadrons.

Many thanks in advance!

All the best

Andreas

Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

Gentlemen,

This is something new to me. A Ju52 transport plane that fought back against well armed Allied planes and shot down two of them! I got pretty tired of reading reports of massive Ju52s being slaughtered in the air anyway. I wonder if there were more examples of German transport planes especially Ju52s defending themselves and shot down their opponents while flying?

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

I believe there was one P-38 shot down by Ju52s during the Tunisian campaign in 1943. Good book Brian.

Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

This is from my notes I found that deals with P-38 losses during the Tunisian campaign from a posting on this site where they try and match up P-38 losses with german claims:
11 April 1943 1 P-38 of the 82nd FG was shot down by III/TG 3

Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

Dear Sir,

A good find indeed,thank you! I also wonder how the Ju-52s perform in defense against Soviet fighters on the Eastern Front. I'm there were a few Soviet planes that were shot down by Ju-52s in defense.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

My wife's uncle flew Wellingtons out of Malta. Many years ago he told her that he came up behind a German transport thinking it unarmed, whereupon a gunner knocked out one of his engines and he had to limp back to Malta. Sorry, no dates.

Re: Ju52 shot down two Blenheims?
 

Hi,

in two separate actions around Elba Insel in the Tyrrenian Sea 39 Sqn lost 3 Beaufighter to Ju52's rear gunner, 2 definitely shot down
P/O H.H. Deacon and P/O C.L. Heide in LX903 'T'
P/O E. Twiname and Sgt I.A. McLoed in LX779 'X and W/O A.T. Paterson and Sgt W.G.G. Shaw in LX862 'S' that crash landed at base.
TG 2 and 4 claimed 3 Beaufighter shot down:
per Tony Woods
24.09.43 Uffz. Jürgens IX./TG 2 Beaufighter 12 km. W. Insel Elba: no height 14.35 Film C. 2031/II
24.09.43 Uffz. Philipp Grüß IX./TG 4 Beaufighter 120 m. W. Insel Elba: no height 16.00 Film C. 2031/II
24.09.43 Uffz. Gerhard John IX./TG 4 Beaufighter 150 m. bei Poggio-Elba: no height 16.05 Film C. 2031/II

Vulnerable, slow, but still dangerous....

Alessandro