Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Hi guys

On 21 June 1944, Leutnant Rudolf Dassow (22 victories, RK, killed in action 25 August 1944) of Stab II./ZG 26 was wounded in aerial combat. Would anyone have any information as to the Me 410 that he was flying that day? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Hi Leo,

Me 410 A-1, 3U+MM, 420 509, BF Fw. Martin Schretzenmayer, both WIA, Raum Neubrandenburg.

Regards

Heuser

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Hauser, did you know what other losses suffered ZG 26 on 20 and 21 June 1944 ?
I know that on 20 June Mustangs pilots of 355th FG claimed seven Me 410s.

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Hi,
yes, but II./ZG 26 only...

a/c losses on 20.06.44:

4./ZG 26: 710 339, 3U+NM, 2 MIA
6./ZG 26: 710 358, 3U+BP, crew bailed out, 2 WIA
6./ZG 26: 420 495, 3U+JP, 1 KIA, 1 WIA (a/c lost?)
6./ZG 26: 420 455, 3U+NP, 1 KIA
6./ZG 26: 710 331, 3U+UP, 2 KIA

There were two additional belly landings after aerial combat, one more BF KIA, and several WIA in various a/c.

t.b.c.

Heuser

Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Hello Heuser

Many thanks for your kind reply to my question. Dassow was one of the best Zerstörer aces in Home Defense and your input has helped me add more to what I know of this pilot. Thanks for taking the time to answer!

Horrido!

Leo

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Heuser - thx for information!

I see - amazing score of Me410 had II./ZG 26 on 20.06.44!

Stab II./ZG 26 - 4 x B-24 (3 of them by Ltn. Rudi Dassow)
4./ZG 26 - 4 x B-24, 1 x P-51
5./ZG 26 - 11 x B-24 (2 of them by StaKa Oblt. Fritz Stehle)
6./ZG 26 - 7 x B-24, 1 x P-51

Dassow was not the only exellent Viermottoter of II./ZG 26. Stehle was credited with 26 victories, not less than 16 of them were Viermots: 4 х Lancaster, 3 х B-24, 9 x B-17. 7 of his claims were in Me410 with 8./ZG 1 & 5./ZG 26, 4 in Fw190 with 6./JG 6, finally 11 with Ме262 с 2./JG 7, including P-39, shot down on 8.05.45 at 16:30, the last Luftwaffe Abschuss.

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Are those numbers just what was claimed at the time or can they be matched with actual USAAF losses?

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Hi!

www.armyairforces.com is down, and I cant tell You directly what is percentage of overclaim.

20 june 1944 claimed:

38 x B-24
5 x B-17
18 x P-51
4 x P-47
8 x P-38

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

According USAAF only 17 bombers was shot down by fighters, but next 19 damaged bombers landed in Sweden. ZG 26 losses was also high - 12 Me 410 mainly to 355th FG P-51s (claimed 7 Me 410 and 8 JG 300s Bf 109 with no one P-51 lost).

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

..'only' fourteen 492nd BG B-24s fell to ZG 26 on 20/06/44 - detailed break-down is in Lorant/Goyat JG 300 Vol 1. (four pages of text on this clash)

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

THX. What publisher of that book?

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

2nd Bombardment Division lost 34 B-24 on 20 June. In true six of 14 missings from 492nd BG landed in Sweden.

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Also, how many damaged (and crashed on landing e.t.c) ?

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

According to Roger A. Freeman's "Mighty Eighth War Diary" (Jane's, 1981) losses to all causes on 21 June 1944 were:

3rd Bomb Div: 10 x B-17 missing, 142 damaged
1st Bomb Div: 16 x B-17 missing, 216 damaged
2nd Bomb Div: 19 x B-24 missing, 2 damaged beyond repair, 150 damaged
(5 more B-24 damaged on a mission to the Pas de Calais)

13 missing bombers landed or crashed in Sweden (the most aircraft from a single Bomb Group was 2 from the 93rd).

VII FC: 9 fighters lost, 2 damaged beyond repair.

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

..as explained in the reference I quoted thanks

Re: Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944
 

Detailed information about all missing planes from 492. BG:
http://www.492ndbombgroup.com/cgi-bi...ion&mission=34


About 8th USAAF actions on 20 June look at http://www.airwarweb.net/usaaf/8af_1944-06.php

TUESDAY, 20 JUNE 1944
STRATEGIC OPERATIONS (Eighth Air Force): Mission 425: In the morning 1,548 bombers are dispatched to attack 14 strategic targets in N Germany and V-weapon sites in France; 49 bombers are lost:
1. 126 of 146 B-24s bomb V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 83 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 8 WIA and 24 MIA. Escort is provided by 44 P-47s; they claim 3-0-0 Luftwaffe aircraft; 1 P-47 is lost (pilot is MIA).
2. Of 341 B-17s dispatched, 137 hit Fallersleben, 95 hit Magdeburg/ Rothensee and 52 hit Konigsberg; they claim 2-0-6 Luftwaffe aircraft; 6 B-17s are lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 116 damaged; 11 airmen are WIA and 60 MIA. Of 191 B-24s, 169 hit Hannover/Misburg and 3 hit a target of opportunity; 1 B-24 is lost, 1 damaged beyond repair and 89 damaged; 4 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 9 MIA. Escort is provided by 98 P-38s, 86 P-47s and 38 P-51s and 81 Ninth Air Force P-51s; they claim 10-1-10 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 8-0-3 on the ground; 1 P-38, 1 P-47 and 1 P-51 are lost (2 pilots MIA).
3. Of 512 B-17s dispatched, 107 hit Hamburg/Eurotank oil refinery, 60 hit Harburg/Ebano oil refinery, 54 hit Hamburg/Schliemanns oil refinery, 53 hit Harburg/Rhenania oil refinery, 53 hit Hamburg/Deut.Petr.AG, 50 hit Hamburg/ Rhenania-Ossag oil refinery, 26 hit Hamburg/Schindler oil refinery, 12 hit Brunsbuttel canal lock and 2 hit targets of opportunity; 7 B-17s are lost and 349 damaged; 1 airman is KIA, 13 WIA and 63 MIA. Escort is provided by 96 P-38s and 48 P-47s without claims or loss.
4. Of 358 B-24s, 245 hit Politz, 71 bomb Ostermoor and 12 hit targets of opportunity; they claim 10-3-2 Luftwaffe aircraft; 34 B-24s are lost and 205 damaged; 3 airmen are KIA, 6 WIA and 343 MIA. Escort is provided by 50 P-38s and 221 P-51s; they claim 28-1-9 Luftwaffe aircraft in the air and 5-0-9 on the ground; 3 P-38s are lost.
Mission 426: In the afternoon, 33 of 37 B-17s and 196 of 380 B-24s attack 10 V-weapon sites in the Pas de Calais area; 1 B-24 is lost and 96 damaged. Escort is provided by 72 P-47s and 40 P-51s without loss.
Mission 427: 5 of 5 B-17s drop leaflets in France during the night.
25 B-24s fly CARPETBAGGER missions in France.