P-51 43-6740 03-03-1944 claimed by?
 

Is there a claim for this one?
MACR 3045 pg3
7 March, 1944.
While I was flying Red 1 in Shirtblue Squadron I saw Lt. Herter bounce some FW-190's in the Wittenburg area at about 1150 hours, after I had said that no one was to bounce them because there were a lot more above us. I last saw him chasing a FW-190 when about 8 to 10 E/A went down on him. They were all going down in about a 70° dive.
/s/ DON S. GENTILE,
DON S. GENTILE,
Captain, Air Corps,
Pilot.


KUJ-626 pg 5
Crashed 3 km north of Breitenhees (also spelled Brietenhees) on the main road Uelzen–Braunschweig. remained un known, buried Municipal cemetery at Hankenbüttel / Wittingen (Hannover area) on 4 March 1944 at 11:30.

Re: P-51 43-6740 03-03-1944 claimed by?
 

Heinz Bar JG1 is good possibility, his 192nd. SE Soltau which could be on the Uelzen road. Times 11.40 (Bar), "about" 11.50 (Gentile).
Herter in 43-6740 VF-R.

Nick

https://acesofww2.com/germany/aces/bar/

Re: P-51 43-6740 03-03-1944 claimed by?
 

Was that a tactics, some FW190 etc as a lure then swarme the poor takets with overwhelming numbers? A game play i mean.

Re: P-51 43-6740 03-03-1944 claimed by?
 

"Decoys" date back to WW1 used by both sides but I don't think common in WW2. Herter was killed "after being lured after the low decoy". Experienced pilots like Gentile (ex-Eagle) were more careful. Strafing at low-level and finding fighters above was much more dangerous.
Nick

Re: P-51 43-6740 03-03-1944 claimed by?
 

Nick, commonly used on the Channel front by Germans 1941-43.

Re: P-51 43-6740 03-03-1944 claimed by?
 

…..and by JG 51 in late 1940 when they had Bf 109Fs