[Mark R.]

Andrew,

Excellent work. Hopefully I might be able to help with regards to the RA when the three Microfilm rolls that I ordered from the U.S. archives (which apparently has Regia Aeronautica loss data during 1942 - 1943) arrive next month. At least I hope they have some good information at $85 apiece. From what I have seen in my own research, US pilots were certainly over enthusiastic in Tunisia when it came to claiming kills in late 1942 and early 1943. They seem to have gotten better in March through April 1943. I figure that when you have fairly evenly matched aircraft and pilots, no one could afford to stick around to look very closely at what they were shooting at. In another situation, where you would have Zero A6M2s fighting Brewster Buffaloes, the Japanese pilots at least would have some opportunity to look around without worrying about getting their tails shot off.

I wonder if the Luftwaffe benefited from the experten having their wingmen guarding their tail rather than trying to get a kill and because of the fact they were often operating over Axis-held territory. What I am seeing so far in Tunisia is that the Germans were usually within the 75 percentile with their claims (meaning they actually got three out of every four claimed) except for that one unit you know about already.