14 Squadron victories
 

Hi,

In 1943 W/Cdr.Dick Maydwell(+ crew) claimed several victories in the Med
while flying Marauder of 14 squadron

1. Sm.82
2. Ju.90
3. Bf.109 Damaged
4. Me.323

can anyone advise details of these - Dates, Aircraft and Units etc.

Cheers

Bruce Lander

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Hi Bruce,

Allied Wings No.2: Martin Marauder Mk.I by Phil H. Listemann has listing of 14 Sqn RAF claims totalling 8 destroyed, 2 probables, 28 damaged (pages 32/33). Includes the following for Maydwell and his crew (F/Sgt C. Locker, F/Sgt G.G. Graham)

15 Jul 43
Marauder FK147/B
SM.82 dest

23 Jul 43
Marauder FK149/D
Ju90 dam (did actually crash)

30 Jul 43
Marauder FK142/R
Me323 dest

I cannot see any damage claim for a 109 by Maydwell, however other 14 Sqn crews were credited with MEs.

Regards, Drew H

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Hi Drew,

thanks for the info, any chance you can list the other 14 Sq claims.

The 109 damaged is mentioned on the 14 Sq Association website in Maydwell's memoir.

Any ideas on the idenities of the claims.

Cheers

Bruce Lander

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Bruce,

According to Winged Promises (A History of No.14 Squadron RAF) by Dr Vincent Orange, page 203, Maydwell’s gunner Gil Graham “scored good hits on one of the Bf 109s, which departed the scene with glycol leaking….”. See following as well - http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obit...il-Graham.html

There are photos of the Ju90 and Me323 combats at this link as well as pictures of the downed Gigant. Walter Honig was apparently the Me323 pilot, not sure of the unit.
http://forum.axishistory.com/viewtop...36361&start=60

Production list of Ju90s. The aircraft in Maydwell’s combat picture had J4 on side of fuselage.
http://hugojunkers.pytalhost.com/ju_ju90_p2.htm

Drew

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Hi Drew,

Thanks for the addition information and links, I'll keep on digging for the unit details

Cheers

Bruce Lander

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Bruce,

Other 14 Squadron Marauder claims from ‘Allied Wings No.2: Martin Marauder Mk.I’ by Phil H. Listemann. Names are pilot of crews and not necessarily the actual claimant.

DESTROYED
20/12/42: Sgt GC Egebjerg - 1 Bf 110
22/5/43: S/Ldr H Law-Wright - 1 Me323
10/6/43: F/O MC Johnson RAAF - 2 Bf 109; F/Sgt HWT Bates - 1 SM.82 (could be SM.79)
11/6/43: F/O E Donovan - 1 Bf 109

PROBABLES
6/8/43: F/O E Donovan – 1 Ju52
27/9/43: F/Sgt FE Spedding RNZAF – 1 Ar196

DAMAGED
17/1/43: F/O OA Phillips RAAF – 0.5 Ju 52; Lt C Jones SAAF – 0.5 Ju 52
31/1/43: F/O HS Grimsey – 1 Ju 88
19/4/43: P/O RK Francis – 1 He 115
20/4/43: F/Sgt KM Dee RAAF – 1 Ju 88
23/4/43: Sgt HE Rawlins – 1 CantZ.501
28/4/43: F/Lt FR Brown – 1 He 59
15/5/43: Sgt HE Rawlins – 1 Ju 52
10/6/43: F/O MC Johnson RAAF – 1 Bf 109
12/6/43: Lt RK Graham SAAF – 1 Ju 52
19/6/43: F/O MC Johnson RAAF - 1 Me210
30/7/43: F/O H Elsey RCAF – 3 Ju 52
5/8/43: S/Ldr Law-Wright – 2 He 111
6/8/43: F/O E Donovan – 2 Fw 190
7/8/43: F/O CR Thomson RCAF – 2 Bf 109
18/9/43: F/O H Elsey RCAF – 1 Ju 88
19/9/43: F/Sgt FM Spedding RNZAF – 1 Re.2001
21/9/43: F/O DF Thomas RCAF – 2 Ju 52
4/11/43:F/O WR Gellatly RNZAF – 1 Bf 109
21/3/44: F/Sgt ML Holland RNZAF – 1 Fw 190
11/5/44: F/O SR Lantinga RCAF – 1 Bf 109
13/5/44: F/O JB MacDonald RCAF – 1 Ju 88

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Hi Drew,
Thanks for that, those books in that series are pretty good.

Cheers

Bruce

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Hi,

it appears that 14 Squadron "borrowed" some A.36A Fighter Bombers from XII Air Support Command in 1943 and claimed several more e/a

30.05.43 F/O Crawford (41-37364)
F/Sgt Campbell (41-37414) Ju.52/3m

31.05.43 F/Lt.D.Blair
P/O J.K.K.Gildner Rs.14

07.06.43 F/Lt D.Blair (41-37370)
P/O J.K.K.Gildner (41-37368) Rs.14

Also I have noted the additional Marauder claim:-

27.09.43 F/Sgt. F.E.Spedding Arado 196
Bf.109 Dam

Cheers

Bruce Lander

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Hi,
Probably this is Me 323E WNr 1274 II/TG 5 piloted by Honig. 80% damage on this date as a result of a "Fighter attack", 4 WIA.

Ju 90 claimed by W/Cdr Maydwel crew was Ju 90 WNr 0007 J4+JH from Lufttransportstaffel 290, piloted by Ofw H. H. Boldt. Junkers was damaged by Marauder fire and later also hit by own FLAK. Landed on water near Basita.

Me 323 shot down by S/Ldr H Law-Wright crew probably was Me 323E WNr 1259 from I/TG 5 ( 5 KIA, 4 WIA). According to Me 323 Schiffer book by H-P Dabrowski, this a/c was shot down by fighter.

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

HI Gizmo,

Great stuff - thanks for that inormation

Cheers
Bruce

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

Wondering if anyone here has further information on the Bf 110 downed by tail gunner Sgt Taylor in FK131/E piloted by Sgt Egeberg on 20 Dec 1942. Or maybe the unit of the attacking German aircraft?

For more on Egebjerg
http://www.danishww2pilots.dk/profil...alpha=e&id=241

Mikkel Plannthin

Re: 14 Squadron victories
 

A short extract from “Air Gunner” by Alan W. Cooper (published 2009), Pen & Sword Aviation.

(Relates the actions of Gil Graham, Marauder tail gunner of 14 Squadron.)
"The 13 July 1943 …… took off with then Wg Cdr, later Group Captain, Maydwell at the controls. They were to reconnoitre the harbours on the west coast of Italy and the south coast of France. On the north coast of Corsica they sighted an Me323, a six engine aircraft, the biggest used in WWII. In its huge cabin was nine tons of flak, a half track vehicle and two VW personnel carriers. It had a crew of nine, a mechanic in each wing and carried four vehicle drivers. Gil’s aircraft immediately attacked the Me323 and put its nose guns out of action. Gil’s Marauder kept in front of the Messerschmitt and Gil shot at it continually with his rear gun. Three bits of the enemy’s engine fell off and it made for the nearest possible landing place: Corsica then occupied by the Germans. This they did on a rocky shore, Gil thought all the crew had been killed but in fact they had survived. The pilot was Walter Honig and now lives in Pforzheim."

This is in the Middle East Chapter, and there are a few more anecdotes, including an incident when on a pre-raid weather reconaissance at low level, they blundered over an airfield full of neatly lined up Heinkels, but flew past so fast that neither Marauder crew or flak gunners had time to react.

In the same chapter, there is reference to Gil Graham damaging an Me 109 (one of two attacking the Marauder). There is no specific mention of the pilot, but the action occurred on 10 June 1943 on a low-level shipping recce flight south of Sicily. It also relates how the mid-upper gunner's turret fuzes keep blowing after a few bursts.

Regards,
...geoff