[drgondog]

The strangest part of the November 15 1943 MACR statement was reflecting that no enemy fighters were encountered in the Eyewitness Statement regarding McClure. He was hit by flak, lost altitude and was lost from sight.

Crash site listed as Thebes ~ 40 miles from location of Bartels and Hackl's seven air to air claims.

I noted in the other forum that on April 24, 1944 Bartels was one of 9 Me 109 pilots claiming 10 P-51s destroyed around Munich. in a rough arc from south of Landshut to Walkraiburg/Simbach/St. Wolfgang to Taufkirchen Vils - ne, e and se of Munich - 8 were credited when three were lost. Two other 51's were lost in mid air collisions with Me 110s near Poing and one was lost west of Munich near Lake Wessling, possibly to 7./ZG26.

Bartels claimed two 'west of Mulhdorf' whereas one (Norman) was lost north north of Muhldorf and more closely matches a JG26 (Ayerle) claim for "west of Simbach".

Bartels Could be the shooter for Norman (355th FG) but probably not Hillman who went down southeast of Munich at Taufkirchen...who was flying Norman's wing. Hillman more closely matches JG 27 Rabentstein's 'se Munich' claim at 1400. OTOH, I have to check whether the MACR stated Taufkirchen or Taufkirchen Vils - if the latter then it is reasonable to link Bartels to the two 355th pilots who were together when last heard from.