Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Hi guys

On the night of 20 July 1940, Wellingtons from 75 Squadron operated over Germany. One crew reported combats with three 'He113s' and claimed two shot down. The Wellington was damaged and another FTR, possibly the victim of the attacking fighters.

Any ideas?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Hi Brian,

"THE OTHER FEW" by Larry Donnelly pp 43/44 gives some details of this combat involving Wellingtons of both 37 and 75 Squadrons vs I/NJG.1

Forever strong: The story of 75 Squadron RNZAF 1916-1990
by Norman L. R Franks

Wise Without Eyes: 37 Squadron Royal Air Force, 1939-1945
by Kevin Mears

these may also help

Cheers

Bruce Lander

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Hello Brian,

'My' I./NJG 1 shot 2 Wellingtons down: one of 37 Sqdn.RAF and one of 75 Sqdn.RAF.

All the best, Marcel

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Thanks Marcel

I assume the 'He113s' would have been Bf109s? Any idea which unit and were any shot down/damaged?

Cheers
Brian

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Brian,

Did Marcel not say I./NJG 1? What are you looking for?

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Hi John

Never to old (or thick) to learn!

I assumed I/NJG1 had only Bf110s!

So, did I/NJG1 have any of its Bf109s damaged during that night's action?

Thanks
Brian

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Brian

I think this might help you:

http://www.ww2.dk/air/njagd/njg1.htm

What Marcel & John are saying is I/NJG 1 did not have He 113s or Bf 109s

Chris

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

Hi Chris

But the website shows that II and III/NJG1 did have Bf109s - so were the claiming pilots (Walter Ehle and Siegfried Wandam) and those claimed by the Wellington gunner from II or III Gruppen?

I'm confused!

Cheers
Brian

Re: Night combat 20 July 1940
 

II./NJG 1 and III./NJG 1 are the same units. II./NJG 1 became III./NJG 1 after a new II./NJG 1 was formed. III./NJG 1 switched over to the BF 110 in September 1940. This unit has proven that the Bf 109 was total unsuitable for nightfighting. After that time the 'nightfighting' Bf 109's were collected in 10./NJG 1.
I think that the RAF men in those squadrons have thought that they were shot down by a Bf 109, but it was in reallity Bf 110. It's not the first and last time that this has happened during the nightly operations of the RAF.

Jaap