Looking for Spitfires losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943
 

Good night to all!
I am seeking more information about RAF losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943. Would be very interested on the serial and code numbers of aircraft from 43 Squadron or a link to those losses.
Thanks in advance
Adriano Baumgartner

Re: Looking for Spitfires losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943
 

Hi Adriano
"Spitfires over Sicily", Cull/Malizia/Galea gives no 43 Sqn losses for 10/7/43. They give as Spitfire losses
JL375/SN-Z,243 Sqn
EN 148/SN-E,243 Sqn
EP690, 40 Sqn SAAF
ER706,40 Sqn SAAF
JL182, 92 Sqn
EP440, 92 Sqn
EN466, 93 Sqn
ER856/LE-S,242 Sqn
EN295/V-B,1435 Sqn
JL361/V-N,1435 Sqn
plus 2 ?Spitfires of the US 307th FS shot down by USN flak
Regards
Dick

Re: Looking for Spitfires losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943
 

Thank you Shack!
May I ask you if you do have the names of the RAF pilots shot down as well as the hours of combats involved. I am trying to figure out which LW pilot shot down of of those RAF flyers. JG 27 as well as JG 53 was in action.
Thanks for your valuable help
Adriano

Re: Looking for Spitfires losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943
 

Hi Adriano
The book is not totally clear or sure about what brought some of the a/c down. The 2 Americans are recorded as shot down by "friendly" AA fire from US Navy ships.JL 375,F/O L J Connors RAAF ditched(out of fuel) but the pilot drowned,ER706,Lt E C Webb SAAF baled out due lack of fuel and was rescued, EP690, Capt G C le Roux was shot down by a Macchi 202 but his no 2(Webb in ER706)believed it was another Spitfire.JL182,F/Lt T W Savage was KIA by allied Flak or a Bf109, EP440,F/O E S Dicks-Sherwood baled out and was rescued after being shot down either Allied Flak or a Bf109,EN466, F/Lt W R Daddo-Langlois was also brought down by either Allied Flak or a Bf109,he was severely injured and lost his life when the rescue launch was sunk,EN148,F/O G B Blunn was Kia by flak or Bf109,ER 856 crashed after combat with a BF 109,F/O A N Snell became POW, EN295, F/Lt M R Rowland RNZAF was KIA in combat with a Bf109,JL361, F/O L A Stewart was rescued from the sea after combat with a Bf109. Unfortunately the book does not identify the German opponents nor does it give any details about the Allied pilots although I recognise the name Daddo-Langlois from Cull's books on Malta where Langlois is mentioned quite often
Regards
Dick

Re: Looking for Spitfires losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943
 

Hi Dick!
Thanks a lot for the information! The grand-father of one of my colleagues down here in Brazil was nonetheless than Oblt Hans Roehrig from JG 53! So, I am making some researches about the subject! He did shot down a Spitfire that day!
Thanks for sharing your information with me!
PS: Unfortunately, I lost contact with this colleague of mine who is also a pilot, nowadays flying B-737. I will try to find it if he do possess any photographs about Oblt Roehrig with his family!
Thanks again!
Adriano Baumgartner

Re: Looking for Spitfires losses over Sicily on the 10th July 1943
 

Helo Adriano,

Oblt Hans Roehrig claimed one Spitfire @ 19:35 that day. In the same fight, the III/JG53 claimed other three Spitfire while the II/JG53 claimed two. It seems probable that both II and III JG53 were involved in combat with the 1435th Squadron, which lost two Spitfire.



Regards
Marco