[brewerjerry]

Originally Posted by Ota Jirovec

Hello Geoff,

Back to your original question. A few combats of RAF fighters with Luftwaffe-operated Dewoitines are mentioned in 2nd Tactical Air Force, Volume 1, by Christopher Shores and Chris Thomas, as given in the following excerpt:

"Although 266 Squadron was not a part of 2nd TAF at this time, an event occurred on this date (9 February 1944) which is noteworthy because it provides an opportunity to correct an item included in the authors´ earlier "The Typhoon and Tempest Story". During a Ranger to the Chartres area, Plt Off D. Erasmus of this squadron claimed a Bf 109 shot down. This was in fact a Dewoitine D.520, an ex-Armée de l´Air fighter taken over by the Luftwaffe and used by JG 105, which was based at Chartres. D.520 No 483 was shot down and Uffz. Woll was killed. Four days later (on 13 February 1944) Sqn Ldr G.B. Warnes of 263 Squadron, also a Typhoon unit, claimed another Bf 109 in the same area. Again this was a D.520 of JG 105 - No 664 in which Uffz. Bartl was killed. It is interesting to note that at this time the Luftwaffe operated four such Jagdgeschwader in France, which would continue to operate until August 1944, when there was a general withdrawal back to Germany. The other units were JG 101 at Pau, JG 103 at Chateauroux and JG 107 at Nancy."

Hope this helps,

Ota

Hi
Erasmus actually claimed he shot down an "enemy mustang" on the 9th Feb.
Unfortunately i have a different pilot, anyone able to confirm I have the wrong name from the luftwaffe loss lists.

Below from my notes used for Harrowbeer in focus"


On the 9th the squadrons sent Typhoons out on a sweep again, this time P/O Erasmus of 266 Squadron spotted an enemy aircraft which looked at first like a ME-109, and as he turned in to attack it, the enemy aircraft carried out violent evasive action, but after two bursts of fire, the enemy aircraft caught fire and crashed into a wood to the south east of Chartres, P/O Erasmus noted that the enemy aircraft was painted grey/green on the upper- surfaces, and yellow underneath with large black crosses on its wings, and the Squadron diary records it as having been a captured P-51 Mustang , It was in fact a captured ex French aircraft, a Dewoitine D520, Wn 483 , Flown by Uffz Wedelin , from JG 105, who was killed in the crash.

Cheers
Jerry