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-   -   P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945 (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=11876)

ChristianK 8th February 2008 22:13

P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945
 
Gentlemen,

first of all, a kind hello to all of you, as i am new to this forum. And now right to my first question:

On 8 April 1945 Feldwebel Geistenhoevel of III./JG 7 claimed two P-51 Mustangs shot down in the Cottbus area, about 100 km SSW of Berlin.
After some discussion in other forums it became obvious, that the USAAF recorded no losses in this area on this day. As the RAF was active on 8 April just north of the german capital, i came to the conclusion that Geistenhoevel's Mustang might have been from some british unit. It is also possible that he misidentified some soviet fighters for P-51s, but to me it doesn't seem likely.

So is anybody out there who can help with those mysterious Mustangs?

-Christian

Leendert 9th February 2008 17:07

Re: P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945
 
Christian,

In 2nd TAF, Vol. 3 of Shores & Thomas no RAF fighter losses are recorded in the Cottbus area on 8 April 1945.

Geistenhövel indeed made two P-51 claims that day, but were these claims confirmed?

Regards,

Leendert

shooshoobaby 10th February 2008 19:34

Re: P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945
 
Christian - Leendert,
I am wondering if they could have been
Russian Yaks ?? -
They resembled the P - 51.
Mike

ChristianK 10th February 2008 21:53

Re: P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945
 
I had that thought, too. But even if those Yak's did resemble the P-51 in their outer appearance,the NMF finish of the latter would have been quite a distinctive feature for Geistenhoevel to distinguish them from soviet airplanes (I've heard from coevals that they saw the reflections from american planes even from the ground).
I know that meeting soviet planes in the Berlin area in April 1945 was much more likely than a dogfight with american fighters (even regarding statements of a german pilot quoted in Jet&Prop magazine a few years ago, that the acitivity of the VVS was remarkably low in the last weeks of war) but could have Geistenhoevel been that wrong?

P.S. Which source could reveal soviet loss lists in 1945 anyway?

Nick Beale 11th February 2008 00:42

Re: P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by ChristianK (Post 59481)
the Cottbus area, about 100 km SSW of Berlin.-Christian

Cottbus is to the south south east of Berlin rather than south south west, very much in the airspace the Soviets were contesting at the time.

ChristianK 11th February 2008 03:07

Re: P-51 losses / JG 7 claims 8 April 1945
 
Oh, sorry for that typo! I was born there, so i should have noticed ithttp://forum.12oclockhigh.net/images/icons/icon12.gif But still: is there any chance to check VVS losses for 8 April 1945?


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