Combat Western France 13 Feb 44
 

2 Ju 88C-6s of 1./ZG 1 flown by Lt Knud Gmelin and Fw Heinz Hommel got airborne from Lorient at 1625hrs on this date to carry out an invasion reconnaissance. They reported having an inconclusive combat with "4 x Mustangs" and landed without incident back at Lorient at 1848hrs. Any ideas as to who they met?

Re: Combat Western France 13 Feb 44
 

Chris. If they were P-51s must have been 357th as the other 4 Groups operating were P-47s (they made the claims); 43 Mustangs swept the Dieppe-Abbeville area but don't seem to have reported any e/a. This was FO 242 and 1 P-51 came down in the sea.



Nick

Re: Combat Western France 13 Feb 44
 

Thanks Nick but they were operating west of Brittany which doesn't match. Also aircraft identification was never 100%

Re: Combat Western France 13 Feb 44
 

Prime suspects for me will be RAF Mustang I flying recon over Britanny, but I found no proof for that. No RAF claim and nothing in the book "Raids aériens sur la Bretagne". Also nothing in the ORB of RAF Mustang squadrons. Most reported for this day that all flying was cancelled due to bad weather, and the only squadron reporting ops (400 or 414 Sqn) flew recon to Amiens and Sancerre, not over Britanny.

Re: Combat Western France 13 Feb 44
 

Thanks Laurent. I know that Typhoons were active and four aircraft might support this?