Sure, overclamimg happends from time to time. But we should not generalize. For example I./ZG 76 made very trustworthy claims in Poland a few weeks earlier - without any overclaiming. Why should they do this suddenly on 18.12.1939 ?
As I suppose a Wellington Mk.I flew appr. 5 km per minute, means appr. 25 km in 5 minutes. How could the Wellingtons have been near Wangerooge at 14.20, 14.40 and again at 14.55 ???
Gentlemen apparently our well known formation of 22 Wellingtons flew circles between Wilhelmshaven, Heligoland and Borkum again and again, for appr. full 50-60 minutes (250-300 km under German attack). At appr. 15 hours the rest of them left Nordsee and headed for home after every German pilot in the air had his own victory. I understand it was Christmas time very soon...
