Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Hello

These 13 kills are not mentioned in the Luftwaffe loss lists (Gen.Qu.6 Abt.)

These A/C are listed for that day

24.03.1945 III./J.G.11 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 491475
24.03.1945 III./J.G.11 Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4 WNr. 33231
24.03.1945 IV./J.G.5 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 770228
24.03.1945 IV./J.G.5 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 781202
24.03.1945 I./J.G.52 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 465753
24.03.1945 III./J.G.52 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 613078
24.03.1945 III./J.G.52 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 465314
24.03.1945 2./N.A.Gr.2 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 770246
24.03.1945 2./N.A.Gr.2 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 WNr. 19996

Source: www.ahs.no/ and own Gen.Qu.6 Abt lists

Best
Olve Dybvig

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Hmm odd...

Books of the 359th FG by Jack H. Smith show a gun camera still from Lt. Kelly. It is difficult to tell, but the aircraft appears to be a Bf 109 G-10 (smooth gun fairings + fixed tail wheel + wooden tailfin). It has a dark coloured spinner and either no or a bright coloured RVT band. The aircraft number appears to be white. Camouflage is most likely green-grey (or two-tone grey but definitely contains RLM 75).

One of the Mustangs involved was damaged by a 20mm round.

Interestingly some of the pilots note that the crosses on the wings appeared to be shaped so they resemble a circle from a distance (on the guncam still they're standard white crosses on wing tops and fuselage).

In any case, thanks for looking :)

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Could it have been a training group with losses being put in another category?

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Also lost that day were 4 K-4s from JG 27 and 2 G-10s from JG 300.

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

I would say this is I./JG 27. They reported losses in combat near Störmede Airfield. Losses were reported as 4 KIA. Eyewitnesses reported the loss of 6 Bf 109 so we can assume 2 pilots bailed out. Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....

regards,

John

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Hi John.

Yes, I have them listed as 2 from 1 Staffel and 2 from 2 Staffel, although I have 1 pilot listed as MIA rather than KIA. Perhaps he was later confirmed as KIA?

Skyraider: Do you have a reference like an encounter report for this action?

John

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

John, you're a star! I was expecting "Eiklon" to be misspelt as there was no reference to it anywhere. I also couldn't find any airfield with a name close to it, so it makes sense it's a nearby town. It's easy to see how a handwritten Eikeloh could have been as Eiklon.
Do you happen to have any exact info on the losses, such as type, WerkeNr, markings and pilots involved? I have tried to decypher the blur on the guncam shot and it appears to both me and my wife as a white 4.

Not yet, but the 359th FG historian may be able to help. I'm trying to "reconstruct" several 359th FG encounters and she's been extremely helpful so far :)
It's interesting you have the losses listed a K-4's. The guncam still shows a clear tailwheel. Flaps are down and the 359th pilots reported the 109s as being in a landing pattern, so it's possible the gear was down. However judging from the background, I estimate the aircraft was flying at at least 5000 ft.


Many thanks guys!

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

Since I keep referring to the guncam still, I thought I'd show you.

http://skyraider.allaboutwarfare.com...lly109kill.jpg

Please excuse the poor quality of the reproduction including the blob from the flash of my camera. My scanner doesn't work anymore...

Source: Mustangs & Unicorns, Jack H. Smith, ISBN 1-57510-029-0

Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)
 

I hv 4 planes total loss for that day at or around Stormede, 1+2 JG27, + 1 for 3.JG27 damage unknown,+ 2 pilots wounded by strafing aircrafts, same day in combats, no place named ,11.jg27 lost 3 more, III.JG27 6, nd 4 concerning II.JG27
JG 300 seems to hv lost 18 crafts

rt