19.April 1945
 

Hello
I am looking for information about the 19.April 1945. Which units of the RAF were in combat on this day in the area north of Berlin. Were German planes shot down?


Thanks, Rene

Re: 19.April 1945
 

From the book "2nd Tactical Air Force, volume three" (identifcation of German units are from the book):

RAF fighters claimed on 19 April 1945 the following victories (time are approximate):
1005 hrs: 4 Fw 190 shot down by 412 Sqn RCAF at Hagenow
1015 hrs: 1 Fw 190 shot down and 3 damaged by 402 Sqn RCAF at Hagenow
For both lines above, German unit is unidentfied, except that the book says "maybe a Schlachtgruppe".

1220 hrs: 1 enemy aircraft shot down by 222 Sqn at Husum
Probably an He 162 of I./JG 1 (reported to be shot down by a "Thunderbolt" at 1222 hrs at Husum)

1410 hrs: 1 Ju 88 shot down by 402 Sqn RCAF north of Schweriner See

1545 hrs: 1 Fw 190 shot down by 401 Sqn RCAF at Hagenow
Battle against 11 Fw 190D of I./JG 26, one shot down. Two German pilots claimed Spitfires but none was lost.

1850 hrs: 1 Fw 190 shot down by 130 Sqn at Hagenow
1855 hrs: 1 Fw 190 shot down by 130 Sqn at Wismar
Thought to be Bf 109K of I./JG 27 that lost two aircraft and claimed two Spitfires, shooting down two (both pilots POW)

There were also claims for 7 aircraft destroyed and 34 damaged on the ground.

8 more fighters of 2nd TAF were shot down by Flak (6 KIA, 2 POW). Two more pilots were wounded.

The book "Fighter Command War Diaries, part 5" adds that Mustangs based in UK suffered one loss and claimed 4 aircraft destroyed and 5 damaged on the ground.

More details available if you're interested in one of these battles.

PS: I checked both Balss books on Nachjagd losses but the Ju 88 is not listed. But both books have only 19 Nachjagd losses for the whole month of April 1945 and there were probably much more.

Re: 19.April 1945
 

RENE,

Are you talking about DAY missions or NIGHT missions? If I remember correctly, Mosquitos flew that night on a raid to Berlin.

Adriano

Re: 19.April 1945
 

Thanks Adriano
I am looking for day missions. The reason ? In Eric Mombeek "Sturmjäger-Die Geschichte des JG4..." stands for the 19.4.1945: ... II./Surm JG4 in cobat with enemy fighters (presumably Spitfires) in the area Neuruppin. Losses 4 Fw190.
Greetings, Rene

Re: 19.April 1945
 

The French edition of Mombeek's book on JG 4 says that 3 Fw 190 of II.(Sturm)/JG 4 were lost in the afternoon in a battle against "probably Spitfires" in the Neuruppin area (1 MIA, 1 WIA, 1 baled unhurt). The 4th loss of the Gruppe was shot down by Soviet AA fire in the northern part of Berlin (pilot KIA).

Neuruppin is 100 km more east than the RAF claims in Hagenow and Wismar, and was probably too far east to see Spitfires that day. On the other hand, a III./JG 4 pilot claimed a Yak-3 that day, and it is fairly possible that II.(Sturm)/JG 4 was attacked by Soviet fighters.

According to the site below, Soviet pilots of 3 IAK fought 89 battles and claimed 68 German aircraft shot down (!!), while those of 6 IAK claimed 19 more victories in 30 battles.
http://allaces.ru/p/episode.php?id=473
And 618 ShAP claimed 9 victories that day, probably not included above as it was not a part of these.
http://allaces.ru/p/episode.php?id=873

Soviet overclaiming was probably very heavy that day, but the probability that II.(Sturm)/JG 4 meets Soviet fighters is still high IMHO.

Best regards

Re: 19.April 1945
 

The aircraft strafed at Memmingen were Ju 88s, at least that is what was claimed. The Spitifres seen in Berlin area may have been Soviet ones. I do recall a mention of Soviet PVO Spitfires being in action there in the last days of the war, and coming from Russian archives. Sorry, I do not remember details.

Re: 19.April 1945
 

Hello

Thank´s for your help.

Greetings, Rene