D Day fighter bomber attack?
 

On D Day June 6th 1944 British paratroopers landed in gliders and took and held the vital bridge, known today as Pegasus Bridge,possibly the most and certainly one of the most important actions on this day.

At approximately 10 am (British time) a Luftwaffe aircraft is reported to have attacked the bridge, flying down the road and dropping a bomb that hit the bridge causing a huge dent in the structure and bouncing into the canal,... fortunately for us it was a dud.
The dent can still be seen to this day.
Does anyone have any thoughts as to the type used ( i assume a FW190) the unit or even the pilot involved, did he survive this mission as the sky was reported to have been full of Allied fighters near the time of the attack?

Thanks.
Jon

My bet is that it was an Allied fighter-bomber. It is impossible that Luftwaffe was ordered to bomb the bridge at this time of the day, or even know that the bridge was Allied-held.

AFAIK all German attacks were launched on ships off the beachhead or the beach themselves. There was very few activities in the morning.

On the other hand, Allied fighter-bombers attacked roads and bridges. Out of 14000 planes in the air, one pilot may get lost and bombed the wrong one.

Thanks.
 

Thanks for the info Laurent.
Yes certainly it is possible it was an allied attack by mistake although the Paras definately claim it was a German aircraft. Also as it was vital the bridge was held intact would it not have been on every Allied Fighter Bombers map as a definate DO NOT BOMB target ???
The bridge was taken just after midnight and by 10am they had fought off several German counter attacks including tanks, so the Germans definately were aware who owned the bridge but wether it had filtered back to the Luftwaffe and they planned an attack is,i agree a good question.

Thanks again.
Jon

Re: Thanks.
 

Jon
I think you are limited to JG2 and JG26 with the former unit being much more active (my bet). I am afraid, however, that finding a particular pilot is virtually impossible due to losses of German records.

Re: Thanks.
 

JG 2, JG 26, SKG 10, SG 4 and ZG 1 were active in daytime/dusk against the D-Day landings.
In morning, SG 4 and JG 26 weren't able to send missions AFAIK. I knew that JG 2 flew a bombing mission against Allied ships, so bombing the bridge would be an opportunity target... a really strange one IMOO. At this stage of the battle, both Pegasus bridges were probably the only ones in the Allied beachhead and I don't see how German pilots will be aware of it. Have no details about SKG 10, except that they flew 3 missions in the day and only one was intercepted by Allied fighters and turned back.

British troops holding the bridge were under attack by local troops mainly.