[Alex Smart]

Hello,
Another side to this story may just be that the witnesses at the time just got it wrong ?
I would expect however that after so long at war with the UK they would know the difference between the markings of the RAF and the "Star & bar" of the US forces.
But anything is possible, so here are some RAF losses around the time in question.
Typhoon losses -
01/04/1945
137 Sqn - EK128, force landed NW of Rheine near Lingen, pilot safe.
137 Sqn - RB193, s/d by flak E of Múnster, pilot killed.
174 Sqn - RB396, Flak, force landed NE of Denekamp, pilot safe.
181 Sqn - MN819, Flak, force landed E of Nordhorn, pilot evaded.
183 Sqn - DN248, Flak, s/d Hardenburg, pilot killed.
183 Sqn - MN419, dbr, SoC 12/06/45.
183 Sqn - SW476, Last seen E of Zutphen, pilot pow.
193 Sqn - RB373, Flak NE of Almelo, pilot pow.
247 Sqn - SW408, Flak, NW of Ensberen, pilot baled, evaded.
247 Sqn - SW425, Flak, force landed near Meppen, pilot pow.
266 Sqn - PD473, Flak over Lonneker, pilot killed.
02/04/1945
198 Sqn - one a/c Cat E.
439 (RCAF) Sqn - MN581, Flak ? force landed 9m N of Nordhorn, pilot pow.
03/04/1945
174 Sqn - RB487, Crashed in bad weather 6m W of Rheine, Rhodesian SAAF pilot killed.

Tempest Losses -
02/04/1945
3 Sqn - NV777, Cat E.
80 Sqn - NV982, Flak Rheine-Hannover area, pilot killed.
80 Sqn - SN139, Last seen E of Friesoythe, pilot Shot while pow.
03/04/1945
56 Sqn - EJ526, engine trouble, crashed S of Diepholz, pilot evaded.
56 Sqn - NV728, engine failure, force landed E of Friesoythe, pilot safe.
274 Sqn - NV990, engine failure, force landed SW of Hengelo, pilot safe.

Refs were AB RAF serial number series and Fighter Command War Diaries and Franks RAF Fighter Command Losses vol 3.

RAF Mustang Losses (Germany) -
29/03/1945
154 Sqn - KH697, (44-11400) pilot killed, MIA.
04/04/1945
165 Sqn - KH504. (44-10867) pilot killed(?), Bellylanded 29m West of Wiesbaden.

Alex