Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Hi to all,
for the destructionon of enemy aircraft in air to air combat on the 5th of April 1945 the following USAAF pilots have received credits:
1 / Ellis, John / 12 RCN SQ
1 / Kirkpatrick, Norbert / 15 RCN SQ
1 / Fahringer, John / 63 FTR SQ , (56 FG)
4 / Johnston, Edward / 161 RCN SQ
1 / Schers, Robert / 377 FTR SQ , (362 FG)
2 / Hagen, Orville / 379 FTR SQ , (362 FG)
1 / Lieberman, Alvin / 379 FTR SQ , (362 FG)
1 / Martin, Eugene / 379 FTR SQ , (362 FG)
1 / Dean, John / 393 FTR SQ , (367 FG)
1 / Hardaway, Hen / 393 FTR SQ , (367 FG)
1 / Lohbeck, Arthur / 393 FTR SQ , (367 FG)

So far I’ve found all are 9th Air Force squadrons (?)

Can anybody add the location where the battles took place?


digedag1

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Capt. Fahringer was 8th AF (56FG) and claimed 1 x Me262 destroyed air-air North of Regensburg.

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Ellis awarded a FW 190 destroyed plus an unconfirmed damaged W-1365, Gotha.
Kirkpatrick awarded a Ju 87 destroyed D-8580, Munchberg
Johnston awarded (3) Me 109's Rodenberg (not sure why Study #85 credits him with four.
Ben F. Hardaway claimed J-4393, Kolleda A/D; he was awarded a FW 190 destroyed plus another as unconfirmed damaged.
Dean awarded a FW 190 destroyed, same location as Hardaway.
Lohbeck awarded FW 190 destroyed, same location as Dean and Hardaway.
Schers is actually SOWERS, Me 109 destroyed H-9584, Kassel area
Liebermann FW 190 destroyed Birkungen
Martin FW 190 destroyed Birkungen
Hagen (2) FW 190 destroyed Birkungen

There were numerous other damaged claims on this date as well. Most are 9th Air Force but three were made by 8th Air Force pilots.

Kent

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Hi Peter and Kent,
thank you for your response.

I’m looking for a claim reported in the region between Nienburg (Weser) and Celle, near Schwarmstedt (N of Hannover).
Does any report exist with regard to this area (9th AF and 8th AF)?


digedag1

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Not 56FG. They mention Regensburg, Neudstedt, Bayreuth and Ingelstadt. 9th AF is out of my comfort zone!

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

The damaged claims, 8th and 9th Air Force units, were a Me 262 damaged in the Nordhausen-Leipzig area (354th FG), a pair of Me 109's damaged in the Kolleda area (362nd FG), a Me 262 damaged north of Regensburg (364th FG), a Me 262 damaged near Boblingen (339th FG),a FW 190 damaged by a 12 TRS pilot at J-1168, a pair of FW 190's and a Me 109 damaged in the Kassel area (362nd FG), a FW 190 unconfirmed damaged and a FW 190 unconfirmed destroyed by the 12 TRS, and two FW 190's damaged near Ingolstadt by the 162nd TRS. Is it possible the claim you are looking for was not made by an American unit?

Kent

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Forgot to mention in the FW 190's claimed as unconfirmed damaged and destroyed by the 12th TRS, the location was noted as Gotha.

Kent

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Kent

I notice you call the RCN SQ for TRS (just as I would).
Was RCN SQ the correct name for them? I notice that Frank O also used RCN rather than TRS

Cheers
Stig

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Hi Stig,
You probably forgot that the USAAF RCN and TRS terms were changed on several occasions by the Groups that did photo, mapping and such operations.
So either would be correct for whatever time frame the action took place.

Example -

9th AAF.
The Groups had a mix of Squadron's.

10th PG( later in mid 1945 became RG).
12th TRS
15th TRS
30th PRS
31st PRS
33rd PRS
34th PRS
155th PRS

67th TRG
12th TRS
15th TRS
30th PRS
33rd PRS
107th TRS
109th TRS
153rd LS

363rd TRG
33rd PRS
160th TRS
161st TRS
162nd TRS

Alex

Re: Location for air battles on 5th of April 1945
 

Hello digedag1,
For completion of European claims for the 5th April '45.

In the MTO claims for the 5th April '45 were -
3 Bf109's destroyed.
9 Bf109's damaged.
2 Fw190's damaged.
These were all ground casualties at Campoformido.
Alex