Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

Colleagues.
I found this information regarding an air battle over the Bay of Biscay on March 10, 1944.
on 10th March during a shipping attack by FB.VI and FB.XVIII aircraft, around eight Ju 88 fighters tried to interfere. The FB.VIs shot down two, and one then crossed in front of a Tsetse flown by Squadron Leader Tony Phillips. The pilot of the Ju 88 had what can only be described as a real ‘Oh dear!’ moment when he was hit by one the FB.XVIII’s 57mm shells (one of which neatly removed an engine from the wing). The remains of the Ju 88 – and there cannot have been a lot – fell into the sea!
Are there any details of this battle—location, time, number of German aircraft involved, and losses?

sergey

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

National Archives HW 13/38

Report CX/MSS/OPD 1108

All times British Summer Time

GAF Operations in support of an incoming Japanese submarine …
Escort by ZG 1 was provided by groups of 8 aircraft airborne [at 0630, 1100 and 1545]
A/c of the first group (of which one was certainly destroyed) do not seem to have broken wireless silence …
[on the second operation] A/c 'A' of the Stabsstaffel signalled '2 enemy fighters' at 1704 and is presumably identical with the a/c shot down by 2 Mosquitoes of 10 Group in 45º N, 3º 40' W at this time. (A/c was unsuccessfully called 1704–1829) … Do 24 and He 177 a/c were operated on a sea rescue search, with what result is not known. Of the remaining a/c, 'I' of the first Staffel broke off with engine trouble at 1722.
From the third operation all a/c appear to have returned to Mont de Marsan.

Alex Crawford's book 'Shipbuster: Mosquito Mk XVIII "Tse-Tse", An operational history' (MMP/Stratus, 2008) puts the Tse-Tse claim at around 0920 and says that 7./ZG 1 lost a Ju 88 at 0924. I don't have my copy of Chris Goss's 'Bloody Biscay' to hand at the moment.

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

Thank you. According to the 248 Squadron's combat log, three Ju 88s were shot down at 09:24 – claims by I, E (Tsetse), and R aircraft.

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

German records (Bundesarchiv RL 2-III/828 and RL 2-III/859) show only two losses on 10 March 1944:

Stab/ZG 1 1 aircraft missing with 1 officer and 3 other ranks.
III./ZG 1 1 aircraft missing with 3 men dead.

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

157 Sqn shot down ac flown by Obstlt Lothar Von Janson Komm ZG 1712hrs. Flt Sgt W Tonge & Ft Lt L T Cobbledick of 248 Sqn claimed 3 dest one damaged 0924hrs; only loss was Fw Karl Bauer of 7./ZG 1. Sqn Ldr Tony Phillips' claim was not proven and later described as "optimistic"

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

Colleagues. Thank you all very much.

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

I found another Tsetse claim to have destroyed a German aircraft. The 248 Squadron war diary for October 30, 1944, indicates that at 15:55, at position 60 00 N 04 30 E, two Tsetse and two Mosquitoes from 235 Squadron attacked a lone Ju 88. R/235 damaged the German, and after the attack by T1/248 (f/o Hayton), the Ju 88 exploded 50 feet above the water. How credible is this claim?

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

Formation led by Wg Cdr Atkinson claimed a Ju 88 destroyed at 1555hrs. 248 Sqn says it was shot down by a "6 pounder", 235 Sqn says nothing apart from a Ju 88 was shot down. Matti might be able to match a German loss?

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

TNA HW 13/41: "GNA Vol. XV, 1313–1404 (2 Oct 1944–1 Jan 1945)"

Air Operational Watch Summary CX/MSS/OPD 1342

ZENITS [=weather reconnaissance]
…
2. STAVANGER a/c was unable to takeoff at the normal time and did not start until the afternoon. A/c was intercepted by Coastal Command fighters in 06 East 4279 at 1536 and shot down. Subsequently a Do 24 was to leave BERGEN at 1715 on a sea rescue operation, evidently in connection with this casualty.

Re: Did a Tsetse Mosquito shoot down a Ju 88?
 

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