P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

At 1300 hrs on this date, 9./Le Flakabt 976 shot down a P-38 which crashed at Saarburg, the pilot baling out and was captured. Can anyone please tell me the identify of this loss

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Hello Chris
planes crashed in wooden aera by Saarburg/Trier. Pilot became PoW by the local Game Warden Officer. Must be 20th, I remember only the name of the pilot sounds very german like! There is an complete Report with drawings, Eyewhitness reports etc. about the crash at the Bundesarchiv.
h.

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Could be 42-67821 Chris

Stated as shot down by flak and crashing in the Kammerforest near Saarburg.
2/Lt Leonard S Smutko POW

A really bad day for 20 FG

B Rgds
Stig

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

MACR 2288

Others were-
42-68036 - Montgomery - MACR 2158.
42-67718 - Cooper - MACR 2159.
42-67726 - Keathley - MACR 2289.
42-67848 - Orr - MACR 2290.
42-67728 - Minton - MACR 2291.
42-67981 - Hanzo - MACR 2292.
42-67850 - Sands - MACR 2293.

Nothing much for the 20th,
But names for the 24th
Gearhart - MACR 2703 - 42-12815.
Quiring - MACR 2665 - 42-67878.
Geiger - MACR 2666 - 42-67860.

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Ltn. Smutko was hit by 20mm Flak during an low lewel attack at the iron and steel company at Völklingen. The Flak gunners where mostly 15 to 16 year old Luftwaffenhelfer!!

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Smutkos a/c came down near Krutweiler, S Saarburg.

Most probably he fell to Hptm. Tratt of Stab II./ZG 26 and 1. and 9./lei. Flak Abt. 976 (o) around 12.50 German time.

Info from BA/MA RL 14/70 (Luftgau-Nachrichten-Regiment 12, 8.Flugmelde-Reserve-Komp.) and the Flak-Report from NARA.

Regards,

Heuser

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Thanks all. The reason why I asked is while sorting out Alfred Price's material, this abschussmeldung was found. 10 pages plus a map which gives all you want to know about this. No mention of a German aircraft involved and confirms crash was Salzbrunnen im Kammerforst. Pilot, stated as Unterleutnant Lothar Steffen Smutko, was taken to a hospital in Saarburg and after that to an airfield at Eueren

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Hello,
the crashplace is in the wooden aera of the Kammerforst near "Am Salzbrunnen" A couple of years ago I search the aera and found pieces from the P-38.
Smutko was at the local hospital in Saarburg and then transported via the Airfield Trier-Euren to Oberursel Interrogation Center. I still have a few small pieces from the "Lightning".
h.

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

American Air Museum in Britain ( https://www.americanairmuseum.com/person/146627 ) says the aircraft was flying bomber escort against Frankfurt am Main...

KR, Timon

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

According to his MACR, "Yellow Flight" of 79.FS was bounced by "Me 210", broke up an was told to hit the deck. I assume that Smutko then came across lei. Flak Abt. 976...

There were two P-38 losses (Orr and Smutko) against 5 claims in this area:

Three by Tratt (two confimed), one by Oblt. Richard Philipp (3./NJG 102, confirmed) and the one by Flak Abt. 976.

Salzbrunnen im Kammerforst: correct, this was the crashplace of the P-38. Smutkos chute came down on a meadow near Krutweiler, right on the oppsite bank of the Saar river.

Regards,

Heuser

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Thanks all. Does the MACR for Orr state what shot him down?

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

There is in the report that it was a Me 210. There is also the usual map with last known position.

https://catalog.archives.gov/id/90919275

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Criss,

2/Lt. Melvin H. Orr was most propably a victim of Oblt. Richard Philipp of 3./NJG 102.
Orrs crate crashed around 12.40 hrs 300 m N of Oberalben (SE of Idar-Oberstein), which matches exactly with Philipps claim.

Regards,

Heuser

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Heuser

This differs a little bit from what is stated in 'Losses of the 8th and 9th AF Vol 2'
It is stated the crash was about 13.15H in the Hunsrück Mountains, west of Birkenfeld (ca 10 mls SW Idar-Oberstein)
Attacked by "Me 210", right engine on fire and Orr baled out.

Place is probably the same, only using different references, so I agree with your thinking he was Philipps claim even if the time is a bit off.

B Rgds
Stig

Re: P-38 Loss 11 Feb 44
 

Thanks all