SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

Gents,

I am seeking advice and guidance regarding loss records for RAF and other Commonwealth air forces operating over Hungary and Austria during 1944. I am attempting to complete the abschüsselist for a Luftwaffe nightfighter pilot from NJG 101.

I have access to Chorey’s numerous volumes on Bomber Command losses, but those of units operating out of the Med are not included. Mission types for Halifaxes and Wellingtons would presumably have been mining of the Danube, SOE, etc. Any help with regards to recommended publications, websites and the like is most appreciated.

Cheers,

David

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

There is a new series on RAF bomber losses in the Med, but ,so far, it's only up to end of 1942.
" RAF Bomber Losses in the MIddle East and Mediterranean" --David Gunby and Pelham Temple.
There's a book on RAF operations against Ploesti that has good detail on some of the RAF bomber losses. Its called "Through Darkness to Light" by Patrick MacDonald. Undoubtedly some of these losses were to NJG-101.

Also, post on the RAF Forum, there's a wealth of information there.
http://www.rafcommands.com/forum/index.php

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

Hi David.
The Men who went to Warsaw by S Isemonger is on 205 BG, which did all of the ops you mentioned.Deals with 31,34 SAAF and 178 RAF.
It has a detailed loss list in it.
I don't know if you have it,if it is available in the North.
If you don't have it let me nkow
Stefaan

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

For bombers, the Operations Record Books of 205 Group (AIR25 series, National Archives) and its subordinated Wings (AIR26) and Squadrons (AIR25). The Group also produced daily summaries of its operations which are at the NA.

For fighters, you could start with the MAAF Daily Operations/Intelligence Summaries in (from memory!) AIR23/6509 - 6513 will point you to the units which lost aircraft. I think you'd mainly be dealing with the Mustang-equipped ones, as they had the necessary range.

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

What dates are you interested about?

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

Gentlemen,

Very belated though sincere thanks for your excellent responses to my query.

Kaki, yes, I did post this message on the RAF forum you indicated. A colleague of mine alerted me to the site shortly after my posting here. I also caught the latest Midland Counties publication on the Mediterranean and Middle East air forces, though as you note, it only covers the 1939-1942 period. We can never get these fine works fast enough! I do appreciate the heads-up on the Ploesti title that I will take a look at.

Stefaan, great to hear from you. That title sounds like an excellent source. I have not seen it in this neck of the woods though. I post the information on the dates and that below, so perhaps there might be a match in this title with the actions noted.

Nick, as usual, a most detailed and comprehensive response. I don’t have access to these, though perhaps my colleague Dave Wadman might have bits here and there that he copied during one of his visits to the PRO over the years. I’ll have to ring him up on this.

Schenck, as I mentioned to Stefaan above, attached and below are some background information on what I am seeking. I should state that Theo Boiten was most helpful in assisting with this compilation, although a few gaps remain. The pilot is Lt. Herbert Ludwig of 6./NJG 101, and as noted before I am trying to build his abschüsse list as part of an article I am preparing on him and his aircraft. I have attached a WORD document tabulating what we know, with obvious gaps where more information is sought. I would thus appreciate any further commentary on this listing that you might be able to offer.

All the best,

David

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

Hi Dave.
I found only two losses corresponding to the dates in your table.
Both 10-11/Sep 44.
No 9 Lib EW198 shot down by Nightfighter on supply drop mission between Skopje and Kumanovo (Yugoslavia)
No 10 Lib EW205 Shot down by Nightfighter on mine laying mission to Danube near Gyor, Hungry.
If you think that it may be any of these I'll send you the crew lists.
There are no times next to them.
Hope it helps

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

Losses:

This was discussed on old TOCH board

3/4-Apr-1944

No 37 LN976.......Yugoslavia
No 37 LN853.......Lake Balaton, Hungary
No 70 JA511/Y....Ditched off Termoli
No 104 LN925/G....Hungary
No 150 LP118.......Hungary


29/30-May-1944
It was already mentioned here on TOCH

No 140 LN318.......s/d in vicinity of Vienna, Austria


1/2-Sep-1944
Please see http://www.geocities.com/skrzydla/301/301_losses.html
JN889 was actually s/d on return according to a surviving crew member, around 02.00, so it couldn't be the one you are looking for.


And you've gor info for 10/11-Sep-1944

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

EW 205 hit the electric cable..not due to enemy action...

Re: SOURCES? - RAF & Commonwealth aircraft losses in Hungary and Austria, 1944
 

Some other comment: A B-24 near Orel sounds a bit odd... maybe it was a Pe-8?