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Re: spitfire and Hurricane sqdns over Ostend 18.05.40
To make matters more complicated: in Cynrik De Decker's book "Vleugels boven het Meetjesland", about the history of Ursel, Maldegem and Aalter airfields in Belgium, there's a story of happenings on 17 May 1940, so curiously one day off.
It mentions that Blochs of II/8 were active from Maldegem airfield and were on patrol from 14.30 till 19.30 hrs in the Ostend-Bruges sector.
Lt.Mir had a mission from 18.15-19.15 hrs in said sector and reports that he encountered three Curtiss fighters of I/4. Three Blenheim bombers were flying north, and one of them was attacked by a Curtiss despite desperate warnings from Lt. Mir. He reports that the crash "takes place 1 km. off the Nieuport sea dike and it is exactly 19.10 hrs. "
The unfortunate Curtiss pilot reportedly was Lt Stiquel, who was shot down himself and killed on 26 May 1940 SW of Douai, according to Battle of France, then and now.
Regards,
Leendert
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