K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

I've been trying to generate an Abschuss list for Kurt Buhlingen, one of my favorite LW personality.

Using the Tony Wood List, I have been able to identify about 94 victories up to April 28,1944. From D-day on I can identify Victories 99-105. I'm still missing the last 7 victories that made up his final score of 112 Vs.

Can anyone fill in the holes? Any help appreciated

Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello kaki3152

Unfortunately I cannot help you with his last victories past early July 1944 but here is what I have been able to find on this notable ace. I have compiled the victory list from Prien, Wood and Arthy/Jessen. Notice that there are several differences from your list and I hope this helps you. Any comments or corrections will be greatly appreciated as well as any additional data regarding his victories or loss list information.

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=NZKIHLAU

Horrido!

Leo

Edit: I have updated the thumbnail biography with new information concerning his early career as well as the corrections/additions mentioned below thanks to kaki3152 and Kapper.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Thanks Leo! I'll compare my list and update as needed.

Carlos

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi

Buhligen included unconfirmed claims in his 112. Until the end of 1944 he had only 99 confirmed, and certainly not twenty-four viermots, more like thirteen. Strange also that no JG2 claims are around for 1945!

Regards

Johannes

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi to All,

Well, I've done some comparisons between my EXCEL list and the one posted by Leo.

Several things:

1: His first victory is recorded as a Hurricane in both Prien's (Vol 4:I) and Toney Wood's list, not a Spitfire (2./JG-2 Uffz. Kurt Buhlingen Hurricane 1000 Dover)

2; Several sources list 4 Spitfire victories for Oblt Buhlingen over Dieppe (8-19-42) but Tony Woods only shows two, one at 0810 and one at 1324.

3; His supposed P-47 victory on D-Day (6-6-44) was probably a Typhoon, since as far as I can tell none of the P-47s lost on D-day were lost to fighters.

I'll keep looking the lists over.

Carlos

Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello Carlos

Many thanks for the correction concerning his first victory. I am sure this was based on older information which I overlooked and I have now edited both the unit he was serving with and the type of fighter claimed. I have also added the opponents that you have been able to identify from your list.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Leo,

you appear to have discarded the following two claims that appear in Tony Woods list - Any reason why?

30.01.43 Oblt. Kurt Bühligen 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ 35 km. N.W. Kairouan: 600 m. 07.40 FilmC. 2031/II Anerk: Nr. 163

15.05.43 Hptm. Kurt Bühligen 4./JG 2 Mustang £ 1157 / 05 Ost: 2.600 m. 07.16 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr. -

Regards,

Craig...

Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello Craig

Many thanks for your comments. Regarding why I did not include the 15 May 1943 the reason is Adobe Reader! For some inexplicable reason the Reader installed on my normal computer does not bring this result up when one performs a search for "Bühligen." I have no idea why this is as I tried it just now as well as on another computer with the same version of Reader installed (8.20) and there the 15 May 1943 result appears while on mine it does not. I know that this may appear as if I am attempting a pathetic excuse to cover my carelessness but this is what happened. Regarding the 30 January 1943 claim the reason why I did not include this one is that Arthy/Jessen have this claim credited to Unteroffizier Heinz Schülze of 4./JG 2 as his second victory. I have updated the biography and victory list with the 15 May 1943 claim that you uncovered. Many thanks for your input and helping me correct the thumbnail biography as it is greatly appreciated.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Leo,

I don’t have the Arthy/Jessen book which lists the claims for the Tunisian campaign to compare with. Do they specify their source material to say Schulze was responsible for the 3rd claim?

I know the Wood’s lists have some errors in names (difficult to interpret from hand written list on microfilms) but you can usually pick these from similar looking names and generally from a different Staffel. There is nothing on the 3rd Buhligen claim on the 30th January that would set alarm bells ringing that there is an error in the list.

Could Arthy/Jessen have been mistaken with a description of a later action on 14th February ? According to the Wood’s list on the internet, the 2nd combat for that day had the following claims!

14.02.43 Oblt. Kurt Bühligen 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ 20 km. W. Sidi bou Zid: 2.000 m. 11.00 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. 192
14.02.43 Oblt. Kurt Bühligen 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ 25 km. N.W. Sidi bou Zid: 2.000 m. 11.02 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. 193
14.02.43 Uffz. Heinz Schulze 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ 10 km. S.W. Sidi bou Zid: 1.800 m. 11.03 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. 194
14.02.43 Ofw. Kurt Goltzsch 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ S.W. Djebel Haura: 2.500 m. 11.06 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. 195
14.02.43 Ofw. Kurt Goltzsch 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ N.W. Sidi bou Zid: 1.000 m. 11.14 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. 196
14.02.43 Uffz. Fritz Engelbrecht 4./JG 2 Spitfire £ 6 km. N.W. Sidi bou Zid: 1.000 m. 11.15 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. 197

What does Arthy/Jessen have for this date?

Regards,

Craig...

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

FWIW just a pointer to Bühligen's listings in Mombeeck/Roba's JG 2 history - three volumes written, 2 have appeared thus far in French and one in English, along with with a 'special issue' on Dieppe in the 'Batailles Aériennes' series...

(1) first victory a Hurricane over Dover with 2./JG2 on his 18th combat sortie, his second was a week later with 6./JG2.
(2) Over Dieppe two Spitfires as listed - see Batailles Aériennes 46

Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello Craig

Arthy/Jessen list the source for the Schülze claim on 30 January 1943 as being Film C. 2031/II, BA-MA RL 7/32. For 14 February 1943 they have Spitfire claims for the following pilots: Leutnant Lothar Werner at 8:21 and 8:23; Oberleutnant Kurt Bühligen at 8:25, 11:00 and 11:02; Unteroffizier Heinz Schülze at 11:03 (his third); Oberfeldwebel Kurt Goltzsch at 11:06 and 11:14; Unteroffizier Erich Engelbrecht at 11:15; Hauptmann Erich Rudorffer at 16:18 and Oberleutnant Kurt Bühligen at 16:21. Please note that Prien has 28 victories listed for Bühligen by the time II./JG 2 transferred to Tunisia in November 1942 while Arthy/Jessen have that he claimed 25 victories up to that time. What I did to compile the victory list was use Prien up to the transfer to North Africa, Arthy/Jessen through his stay in North Africa and then Wood for the rest of the war. I used these as I believe them to be the most reliable sources for each time period. I hope that this helps. Neil, I will update the biography with the information that his first claim was recorded on his 18th mission when I get home.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Leo,

It is interesting that for the 30 January claim both Jessen/Arty and Tony woods reference Film C. 2031/II as the source yet have different names. I guess I need to get a copy of the original microfische film data to be sure.

For the claims of the 14th February, match with woods lists, so no problems there.

Regards,

Craig...

Bühligen Victories
 

Hi Craig,

The best source for the 30 January 1943 victories is BA-MA RL 7/32, which says that Bühligen claimed two Spitfires (his 40th and 41st victories), and Uffz. Schülze one Spitfire (his 2nd).

Cheers,
Andrew A.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hello Carlos,

I've compiled 112 claims for Kurt Bühligen but I haven't found the plane type he shot down of 9Jun44 yet:
4,9.40 Hurricane
11,9.40 Hurricane
26,9.40 Spitfire
30,9.40 Spitfire
1,10.40 Hurricane
7,10.40 Hurricane
7,10.40 Hurricane
7,11.40 Hurricane
1940/41 Fesselballon
10,11.40 Spitfire
28,11.40 Spitfire
21,6.41 Spitfire
21,6.41 Spitfire
21,6.41 Spitfire
7,7.41 Spitfire
10,7.41 Spitfire
10,7.41 Spitfire
11,7.41 Spitfire
23,7.41 Spitfire
23,7.41 Spitfire
7,8.41 Spitfire
12,8.41 Hurricane
16,8.41 Spitfire
19,8.41 Spitfire
21,8.41 Spitfire
26,8.41 Spitfire
19,8.42 Spitfire
19,8.42 Spitfire
19,8.42 Spitfire
19,8.42 Spitfire
4,9.42 Spitfire
3,12.42 Spitfire
18,12.42 Spitfire
26,12.42 P-38
26,12.42 P-38
4,1.43 P-40
4,1.43 B-26
8,1.43 P-38
8,1.43 P-38
8,1.43 P-38
14,1.43 P-38
21,1.43 P-40
21,1.43 P-40
28,1.43 P-38
30,1.43 Spitfire
30,1.43 Spitfire
2,2.43 P-40
2,2.43 P-40
2,2.43 P-39
2,2.43 P-40
2,2.43 Spitfire
3,2.43 Spitfire
3,2.43 Spitfire
3,2.43 Spitfire
3,2.43 Spitfire
4,2.43 Spitfire
4,2.43 Spitfire
4,2.43 Spitfire
9,2.43 P-40
9,2.43 P-40
10,2.43 Spitfire
14,2.43 Spitfire
14,2.43 Spitfire
14,2.43 Spitfire
14,2.43 Spitfire
15,2.43 P-38
15,2.43 P-38
15,2.43 P-38
8,3.43 Spitfire
8,3.43 Spitfire
12,3.43 P-38
12,3.43 P-38
12,3.43 P-38
15,5.43 P-51
17,5.43 Typhoon
1,7.43 Typhoon
4,7.43 P-47
4,7.43 Spitfire
14,7.43 Spitfire
15,7.43 Typhoon
16,7.43 Spitfire
18,7.43 Spitfire
30,7.43 B-17
30,7.43 Typhoon
17,8.43 B-17
19,8.43 Spitfire
2,9.43 P-51
6,9.43 B-17
6,9.43 B-17
6,9.43 B-17
6,9.43 B-17
8,9.43 Boston
9,9.43 Spitfire
3,10.43 Spitfire
14,10.43 B-17
26,11.43 B-17
29,1.44 P-47
5,2.44 B-24
5,2.44 P-47
24,2.44 B-17
24,2.44 B-24
25,2.44 B-17
18,3.44 B-24
28,4.44 B-17
6,6.44 P-47
7,6.44 P-47
7,6.44 P-47
9,6.44
12,6.44 P-47
5,7.44 P-47
5,7.44 P-47
5,7.44 P-51

Have a nice weekend,

Michael

Kurt Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello Michael

I should point out that according to Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 Teil 13/IV by Prien and others there is no mention of a victory claimed on 9 June 1944. The claims included in that particular publication arrive up to the three victories claimed on 5 July 1944 (102-104).

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hello Leo,

the idea that Bühligen scored on 9Jun44 is from "Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Western Front" by John Weal p56:
"...Oberstleutnant Bühligen had been a member of the Geschwader since 1940 [...] and the 100th would be scored on 9th June 1944 north of Paris..."

May this be a typo for 7th June ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hello Michael,

victories 102-104 on 5 July 1944, see post #15.
In the source JFV 13/IV are listed:
6 June 1944 98
7 June 1944 99 and 100
12 June 1944 101.

Regards
Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Good morning Leo,

if the 9Jun claim mentioned by Weal was indeed scored on the 7th, we arrive at a score of 111 aircraft shot down (conf+unconf). Do you think Bühligen included the balloon kill that you mentioned in your Bühligen biography in his score of 112 ?

Have a nice Wednesday,

Michael

Kurt Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello Michael

Assuming the total he is usually credited with, 112 victories on the Western Front is correct, and we now know that many previously accepted totals have been needed to be revised as new information has come to light, my hunch is that the remainder of the claims were made from July 1944 onwards. Another definite possibility is that his official total was 104 and perhaps some unconfirmed claims were included in the total of 112. I do not believe that the balloon was included in his total.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi Guys

I am in agreement with Leo. I believe 112 represents claims including unconfirmed. Firstly we have been told as fact twenty-four viermots, which is just not true, it's about half of that.
Secondly JG2 as a whole scored an amazingly few "kills" during 1945. None are known for Bühligen, and perhaps, or even likely he got none.
Thirdly it's not really possible to identify Bühligen's claims, especially trying to match another type i.e perhaps a mis-identification, as Bühligen like many JG2 top claimers just wasn't very reliable in his claims.
This cannot be explained away with the confusion factor, as other very honest claimers can be matched.

JG2 is the only unit where I have found double awards i.e "viermots" claimed by two pilots with the same anerk.nummer.

Some individuals included unconfirmed in the totals, others just the confirmed, this is across all Geschwader, others may include one or two unconfirmed, but they thought they were confirmed, confirmation sometimes took more than a year to be processed, so if you know you have followed the system exactly, some just assumed it would be confirmed.

Kind Regards

Johannes

P.S

Please note that Joachim Prien series is almost perfect regarding claims. However with II./JG2 in Africa(only)there must have been an excel mis-sort, all the dates/times/types e.t.c are correct, with the exception of the pilots names, ALL are completely incorrect !

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi Michael

My list including times, the number and unconfirmed:-

4th September 1940 Hurricane 1000 hrs Nr.1
11th September 1940 Hurricane 1635 hrs Nr.2
26th September 1940 Spitfire 1740 hrs u/c
30th September 1940 Spitfire 1228 hrs Nr.3
1st October 1940 Hurricane 1200 hrs u/c
7th October 1940 Hurricane 1652 hrs Nr.4
7th October 1940 Hurricane 1655 hrs u/c
7th November 1940 Hurricane 1528 hrs Nr.5
10th November 1940 Spitfire 1545 hrs u/c
28th November 1940 Spitfire 1720 hrs u/c
21st June 1941 Spitfire 1636 hrs Nr.6
21st June 1941 Spitfire 1650 hrs Nr.7
21st June 1941 Spitfire 1651 hrs Nr.8
7th July 1941 Spitfire 1532 hrs Nr.9
10th July 1941 Spitfire 1218 hrs Nr.10
10th July 1941 Spitfire 1221 hrs Nr.11
11th July 1941 Spitfire 1455 hrs Nr.12
23rd July 1941 Spitfire 1323 hrs Nr.13
23rd July 1941 Spitfire 1327 hrs Nr.14
7th August 1941 Spitfire 1748 hrs Nr.15
12th August 1941 Hurricane 1907 hrs Nr.16
16th August 1941 Spitfire 1942 hrs Nr.17
19th August 1941 Spitfire 1201 hrs Nr.18
21st August 1941 Spitfire 1509 hrs Nr.19
26th August 1941 Spitfire 1622 hrs Nr.20
19th August 1942 Spitfire 0810 hrs Nr.21
19th August 1941 Spitfire 1324 hrs Nr.22
19th August 1942 Spitfire 1642 hrs u/c
19th August 1942 Spitfire 1653 hrs u/c
4th September 1942 Spitfire ---- hrs u/c
3rd December 1942 Spitfire 1055 hrs Nr.23
18th December 1942 Spitfire 1106 hrs Nr.24
26th December 1942 P-38 1332 hrs Nr.25
26th December 1942 P-38 1340 hrs Nr.26
4th January 1943 P-40 1040 hrs Nr.27
4th January 1943 B-26 1044 hrs Nr.28
8th January 1943 P-38 1447 hrs Nr.29
8th January 1943 P-38 1529 hrs Nr.30
8th January 1943 P-38 1542 hrs Nr.31
14th February 1943 P-38 1250 hrs Nr.32
21st January 1943 P-40 0839 hrs Nr.33
21st January 1943 P-40 0844 hrs Nr.34
28th January 1943 P-38 1415 hrs Nr.35
30th January 1943 Spitfire 0736 hrs Nr.36
30th January 1943 Spitfire 0740 hrs Nr.37
2nd February 1943 P-40 0814 hrs Nr.38
2nd February 1943 P-40 0816 hrs Nr.39
2nd February 1943 P-39 0817 hrs Nr.40
2nd February 1943 P-40 0820 hrs Nr.41
2nd February 1943 Spitfire 0915 hrs Nr.42
3rd February 1943 Spitfire 0900 hrs Nr.43
3rd February 1943 Spitfire 0902 hrs Nr.44
3rd February 1943 Spitfire 0904 hrs Nr.45
3rd February 1943 Spitfire 0906 hrs Nr.46
4th February 1943 Spitfire 1612 hrs Nr.47
4th February 1943 Spitfire 1613 hrs Nr.48
4th February 1943 Spitfire 1616 hrs Nr.49
9th February 1943 P-40 1352 hrs Nr.50
9th February 1943 P-40 1353 hrs Nr.51
10th February 1943 Spitfire 1345 hrs Nr.52
14th February 1943 Spitfire 0825 hrs Nr.53
14th February 1943 Spitfire 1100 hrs Nr.54
14th February 1943 Spitfire 1102 hrs Nr.55
14th February 1943 Spitfire 1621 hrs Nr.56
15th February 1943 P-38 1459 hrs Nr.57
15th February 1943 P-38 1503 hrs Nr.58
15th February 1943 P-38 1513 hrs Nr.59
8th March 1943 Spitfire 0938 hrs Nr.60
8th March 1943 Spitfire 0939 hrs Nr.61
12th March 1943 P-38 0427 hrs Nr.62
12th March 1943 P-38 1422 hrs Nr.63
12th March 1943 P-38 1426 hrs Nr.64
15th May 1943 P-51 0716 hrs Nr.65
17th May 1943 Typhoon 1058 hrs Nr.66
1st July 1943 Typhoon ----hrs u/c
4th July 1943 P-47 1322 hrs Nr.67
4th July 1943 Spitfire 1732 hrs Nr.68
14th July 1943 Spitfire 0905 hrs Nr.69
15th July 1943 Typhoon 1634 hrs Nr.70
16th July 1943 Spitfire 2010 hrs Nr.71
18th July 1943 Spitfire 1835 hrs Nr.72
30th July 1943 B-17 0925 hrs Nr.73
30th July 1943 Typhoon 1600 hrs Nr.74
17th August 1943 B-17 1722 hrs Nr.75
19th August 1943 Spitfire 1243 hrs A.S.M Nr.76
2nd September 1943 P-51 0950 hrs v.n.e-a.s.m Nr.77
6th September 1943 B-17 0948 hrs Nr.78
6th September 1943 B-17 1310 hrs Nr.79
6th September 1943 B-17 1435 hrs Nr.80
9th September 1943 Spitfire 1553 hrs Nr.81
3rd October 1943 Spitfire 1845 hrs Nr.82(this one is missing from the daily mikrofilms, but is on the Stab.II./JG2 mikrofilm with only date and time shown).
14th October 1943 B-17 1345 hrs Nr.82
26th November 1943 B-17 1038 hrs Nr.83
29th January 1944 P-47 1115 hrs Nr.85
5th February 1944 B-24 1100 hrs Nr.86
5th February 1944 P-47 1150 hrs Nr.87
24th February 1944 B-17 1228 hrs Nr.88
24th February 1944 B-24 1230 hrs Nr.89
25th February 1944 B-17 1233 hrs Nr.90
18th March 1944 1321 hrs Nr.91
28th April 1944 B-17 1205 hrs v.n.e-a.s.m Nr.92
6th June 1944 P-47 1157 hrs Nr.93
7th June 1944 P-47 1907 hrs Nr.94
7th June 1944 P-47 1909 hrs Nr.95
12th June 1944 P-47 0604 hrs Nr.96
5th July 1944 P-47 1055 hrs Nr.97
5th July 1944 P-47 1549 hrs Nr.98
5th July 1944 P-51 1552 hrs v.n.e-a.s.m Nr.99

Those you have for 8th September 1943, fourth B-17 for 16th September 1943 and 9th June 1944 are most likely spurious/mistakes., or possibly unconfirmed. Personally I would be suspicious of any claim without an exact time, or without a source !

Kind Regards

Johannes

Kurt Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello

I've noticed that are are some notable differences between the claims lists compiled by Tony Wood, Russell Guest and Johannes Mathews on one hand (going by memory) and that included in the relevant Die Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945 volumes regarding II./JG 2 in the Mediterranean theater. I understand that due to the difficulty of deciphering the original microfilms different interpretations will arise. However, the differences in this particular instance are quite extensive. Has any member of the Jagdfliegerverbände series alluded to this issue at some point?

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi Leo

The only difference between my own mikrofilm reading and Tony Woods should be correct reading of the pilots names. In my opinion Tony Woods has read the name as well as he can considering the bad handwriting e.t.c, however he doen't know who flew with which staffel to know who the name should be. But with Bühligen we should be exact.

The mikrofilms has mistakes, very few, but they are mostly obvious Also some mikrofilms are under/over exposed. There are tricks you can do, differing lighting, coloured lighting. In the case of the worst Mikrofilms i.e Daily films for April 1943 in the East and the JG53 earlier staffel claims I had the mikrofilms themselves professionally cleaned-up, and digitally converted. I checked my own readings against those of the Prien books, who's reader doeas know who a name should be, and we are almost an exact match. This is why I believe the II./JG2 in Africa listings are result of an EXCEL mis-sort. Prien also has like myself many flugbücher to check against. With 8./JG52 there are a few claims missing from the mainstream mikrofilms, and checking against the anerk nummer the actual anerk nummer missing are revealed, but they appear on the sub-list mikrofilms listing date and time only, one of Günther Rall's is missing from the daily mikrofilms, and checking against the sub-list there is an exact match against that recorded in his flugbuch. There is also a duplication of his 199th and 200th on the mikrofilms, these are exact in detail but exactly one month later. Also with night-fighters in the West this occurs exactly a year apart many time 1942 to 1943. Sometimes it's not until your checking an abschüßelist that you pick this up.

There is more research to be done for sure.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Kurt Bühligen Abschuss List
 

Hello Johannes

Many thanks to you and your colleagues who have pored over the microfilms and rendered their contents into accessible forms for the rest of us to use. I can only imagine the very tedious work that this must entail and a great debt of gratitude is owned by all of use to those who have made this important source of information available.

Horrido!

Leo

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Good morning Gentlemen,

I fully agree with Leo's praise for Johannes and would like to add that Leo's biography about Bühligen is excellent both in content and style. I have cross-checked the victory list (105 kills) therein with the list of Johannes (99 kills). The additional kills that are in the Leo list but not confirmed in the Johannes list are:
26,9.40 Spitfire 1740
1,10.40 Hurricane S Bournemouth 1200
7,10.40 Hurricane S Portland 1655
4,9.41 Spitfire Boulogne-Somme estuary-Dover 1730
19,8.42 Spitfire 60km N St.Valery 1642
19,8.42 Spitfire 60km N St.Valery 1653
6,9.43 B-17 NM Mélun 1300
8,9.43 Hptm Boston S. Lille 900
one in the 26Nov43-18Mar44 period
The kills that are in the Johannes list but not confirmed in the Leo list are:
4,1.43 B-26 15km SSW Tdidjana 1044
21,1.43 P-40 W Djebel Trozzo 844
2,9.43 P-51 NW Auxi-le-Chateau 950
The kills that are not confirmed in neither list are:
10,11.40 Ofw Spitfire E Portland 1545
28,11.40 Ofw Spitfire Isle of Wight 1720
12,3.43 B-17 westlich E La Sebala 1422
9,6.44 N Paris
Intriguingly, both lists reach 112 if added up with the other.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi Leo, Tony Woods first files were done around 20 years ago, and he probably did not have much data available apart from the microfilms he was transcribing. At least that is my guess, as at the time I exchanged regularly with him to correct or identify pilot's names, using published unit histories and especially loss lists. Jim P was another contributor and thanks to data drawn from his loss database hundred of names were corrected/completed. Still it was just a partial work from my part (bacically, if I was working on a given day and found claims I can complete, I wrote to Tony), and probably the same from Jim.

On the other hand, the JFV team did a complete study, using far more available sources, and while nobody can claim to be 100% accurate in such a wide subject, I will trust JFV far more than Tony, who did his best with the available data at the time.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi

I think the main Mikrofilms became available for purchase in 1999. Bernd Barbas and myself each acquired a set. Firstly it was just pure getting it onto a computer, then continuously sorting on EXCEL to iron-out faults, many name were unreadable/unidentified so we compiled huge files on each Geschwader to cross-reference against. Every little thing was important, like rank, anerk.nr. It took myself fifteen years of every weekend and evening cross-referencing.

I think the total of confirmed claims(including information from flugbücher not covered by the mikrofilms) was 66600, but there must be many others to be found, but it exact timelines for different units. With a pilots abschüßlist we would always compare the periods covered by the mikrofilms to judge it's accuracy, if it's a perfect match within the mikrofilms scope, then surely those before the scope of the mikrofilms can be accepted as fact !

But as time goes by more information is surfacing, but some is fake, or doctored.

So in short the final information, is far into the future.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Good morning Johannes,

your deeds for the sake of airwar history are heroic.
"fifteen years of every weekend and evening" ?
Does that mean you also had a non-airwar job to do ?

I wish you a good Friday,

Michael

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi Michael

Yes, now I come to think about it I spent every lunchtime for a couple of year running the mikrofilms through a viewer we had at work.

Yet I thought of it as a time consuming, exciting hobby....that I just couldn't wait to do more of. Mikrofilms like puzzles needed to be viewed under different light settings, i.e usually different times of the day, if an area is so damaged it is also impossible to read, go back to it later under different light, or no light, cover the screen with coloured translucent sheet, anything that might help !

Keep Well

Johannes

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Good evening dear Johannes,

that sound fascinating, indeed. As a pathologist I stare through the microscope most of the day. It's a bit similar to your deed but my images are multicolored.

Cheers,

Michael

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hi Micheal

Fesselballon were counted as "Kills", I guess they are a type of aircraft, but as unable to manoeuvre I did not include them in their lists. In 1945 tanks were counted as "kills", and obviously they don't even just float. I think Miethig and Beisswenger had Fesselballon claims.

Kind Regards

Johannes

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

...Oesau, too (15Aug1940).

Cheers,

Michael

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

There were a total of one USAAF Spitfire loss, one A-20B loss, and three P-39 losses on 14 Feb 43. One of the Airacobras crashed at home base while landing with battle damage following an aerial engagement with German fighters. The other P-39s were lost to flak. See below:

2/14/1943 10 mi SW of Fondouk 0730 - 0850 309 FS/31st FG Spit Vc Capt Richard L. Bisgard (s/d and returned)

Source(s): Kucera, p. 57 and 31st FG Msn Rpt 140950Z Feb 43. Box 2270, RG 18. Likely victors are Oblt Kurt Buhligen or one of three other pilots.

2/14/1943 vic Thelepte 0750 - 0830 81st FG/91st FS P-39D Lt Charles E. Schanck (KIA while crashlanding damaged a/c)

Source(s): War Diary and History, 81st FG, p. 31. Pilot died when aircraft crash landed at home airfield. Likely victors are Oblt Kurt Buhligen or one of three other FW-190 pilots. Misidentified as Spitfire. See Tony Wood.


2/14/1943 NW of El Hamma 0840 - 0930 81st FG/91st FS P-39D Capt James H. Hillin (POW)

Source(s): Hit by flak. See 12th AF Daily Intell Rpt No. 97, 15 Feb 43, AIR 23/6609; History and War Diary, 81st FG, p. 31 and http://raf-112-squadron.org/81stfghonor_roll.html. Bellylanded.


2/14/1943 vic Thelepte 1545 - 1600 85th BS/47th BG A-20B Lt Averette A. Hinson (KIA) + 3 KIA

Source(s): 85th BS Outline History, Part 2, p. 3. Aircraft exploded over Thelepte as it attempted to land. It had been damaged by flak while bombing enemy tanks near Sidi Bou Zid.


2/14/1943 S. of Faid 1510 -1600 81st FG/91st FS P-39D 2Lt Wesley G. Bedrick (POW)

Source(s): Hit by flak during strafing run. War Diary and History of 81st FG, p. 31, Kucera, p. 56, and http://raf-112-squadron.org/81stfghonor_roll.html. Flew with Col Klocko and two other pilots from 91st FS. Originally assigned to 93d FS.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Hello Mark,

OK, but Bühligen claimed for Spitfires on that day didn't he?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Apparently RAF Spitfires suffered no loss and made no claim on 14 Feb 1943 over Tunisia, and probably did not engage the enemy.

As for 31st FG, they flew ten missions during the day but suffered only one loss, in the morning. 4./JG 2 claimed 3 Spitfires at 0821-0825 hrs, 1 by Bühligen and 2 by Lt Lothar Werner. They probably shot down 1 Spitfire and 1 P-39.

According to Shroes MAW 3, 4./JG 2 engaged in late morning 5 French P-40 of GC II/5 and 10 US Spitfires of 31st FG escorting A-20s. German pilots claimed 6 Spitfires (2 by Bühligen) but actually only one P-40 was hit and damaged, but managed to return to base safely.

The last two Spitfires claims of the day, at 1618-1621 hrs (1 by Bühligen) can only be linked to the loss of a P-39 about this time, but his loss was attributed to Flak.

The book "Fw 190 in North Africa" has roughly the same, except the hour loss of the Spitfire was apparently not yet known, and an additional comment that both late claims of JG 2 were far away from where the P-39 was lost.

So 11 claims for 1 or 2 victories for JG 2 this day. It is still better than the next day when JG 2 pilots claimed 10 P-38 and 3 Spitfire and apparenly shot down nothing.

I don't know if there is a link, but also on 15 February Kairouan airfield was heavily bombed and the PC of II./JG 2 here was destroyed by a bomb. I wonder if this did not create an administrative problem and contributed to the overclaims by the pilots of the unit.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Yes, that's a rather poor percentage.

43 confirmed (though not verified) kills in the Fw 190 make him the top scorer of that aircraft in the MTO by some margin, correct?

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

Regards 14 Feb 43 claims. Here are the USAAF fighter losses (and causes) for that date:

2/14/1943 10 mi SW of Fondouk 0730 - 0850 309 FS/31st FG Spit Vc Capt Richard L. Bisgard (s/d and returned - picked up by CCB, 1AD) VICTOR: 4/JG 2 SOURCE: Kucera, p. 57 and 31st FG Msn Rpt 140950Z Feb 43. Box 2270, RG 18. Likely victors are Oblt Kurt Buhligen or Ltn Lothar Werner. Germans claimed 3 kills. See Tony Wood. See also Arthey, p. 161.

2/14/1943 vic Thelepte 0750 - 0830 81st FG/91st FS P-39D Lt Charles E. Schanck (KIA while crashlanding damaged a/c) 4/JG 2 War Diary and History, 81st FG, p. 31. Pilot died when aircraft crash landed at home airfield. Likely victors are Oblt Kurt Buhligen or Ltn Lothar Werner. Misidentified as Spitfire. See Tony Wood.

2/14/1943 NW of El Hamma 0840 - 0930 81st FG/91st FS P-39D Capt James H. Hillin (POW) flak 12th AF Daily Intell Rpt No. 97, 15 Feb 43, AIR 23/6609; History and War Diary, 81st FG, p. 31 and http://raf-112-squadron.org/81stfghonor_roll.html. Bellylanded.

2/14/1943 S. of Faid 1510 -1600 81st FG/91st FS P-39D 2Lt Wesley G. Bedrick (POW) flak FOT, p. 204; War Diary and History of 81st FG, p. 31, and Kucera, p. 56 and http://raf-112-squadron.org/81stfghonor_roll.html. Flew with Col Klocko and two other pilots from 91st FS. Originally assigned to 93d FS.

Re: K. Buhlingen Abschuss List
 

These are claims over Africa.
Kurt Bühligen was credited with more kills in the Fw 190 over Africa than any other ace, wasn't he ?