[Nick Hector]

Johannes,

You suspect his claims prior to Russia were honest? Well kind of, but not brilliantly...

5.9.39/1415 PZL P.11 (claimed as "PZL P.24"), 7km S of Radomsko. Report said that the pilot was seen to jump without a shot being fired. Not confirmed by Polish records, however.

18.5.40/1625, Curtiss Hawk, W of Rethel No. 189 of GC 3/4, Capt. R Guieu forcelanded safely and No. 89 of GC II/4, Adj Paulhan safe, aircraft only damaged (overclaiming, there were at least 5 claims for these two aircraft...)

3.6.40/1520-1525 2 x Hurricanes claimed as Curtiss Hawks, W of Epernay, 73 sqn. Severe overclaiming, only one loss: Serial unknown of P/O I D Hawken KIA (...against 5 German claims)


7 or 8.6.40/2050 Spitfire S of Dieppe @ 4000m, Your guess is as good as mine... I need to confirm the true correct date.

30.8.40 Unconfirmed Hurricane (benefit of the doubt....)

1.9.40 Unconfirmed Hurricane (benefit of the doubt...)

5.9.40/1620 Spitfire over Thames Estuary @ 6000m, Possibly 41 sqn or 602 sqn. 41 sqn lost R6885 of F/O A D J Lovell baled out safely and N3162 of P/O Eric S Lock WIA. 602 lost Serial unknown, pilot unknown damaged over Beachy Head at this time plus K9955 of pilot unknown (at least 4 claims that match these losses. So again, likely an overclaim)

27.9.40/1020 Hurricane W of London. Could this have been one of 303 sqn's losses over Horsham at 0930 British Time? He claimed 2 others victories this date, the timings are not known

13.10.40/1340-1402-1403, 3 x Hurricanes, Dungeness - Tunbridge Wells area. One source at least has said these were Spitfires of 66 sqn, but the time of their losses does not match. Was this actually serial unknown of 46 sqn? Sgt. L H B Pearce forcelanded at Biggin Hill following combat with Bf109s over Dungeness

20.10.40/1105, 2 Hurricanes, 605 sqn. 2 aircraft damaged: V6844 of P/O P D Thompson and V6755 of P/O J H Rothwell, both pilots unhurt (Hrabak claimed a third over Ashford, which makes the whole 3 claims into overclaiming somewhat)

30.10.40/1702, Spitfire over Dungeness, 602 "City of Glasgow" sqn. 2 complete losses. Sgt. W B Smith WIA in X4542 and P/O D H Gage in X4269, plus P/O A McL Lyall's P9515 damaged (versus 3 claims in total by the Germans in this engagement - a fair match)

2.11.40 Spitfire NW of Dungeness, Likely overclaiming, as day's only casualty was L1842 of 310 sqn, Sgt. J Kominek baled out after machine caught fire over Sheppey, Kent. Attributed to return fire from a bordschuetze in a larger aircraft.

11.11.40/1230, Hurricane over Canterbury. 229 sqn. Two Hurricanes only damaged, both pilots safe

So as you can see, not an outright liar. But not brilliantly spot on either.

Sources: Tony Wood lists plus Peter Cornwell's books on the Battles of France and Britain, then and now plus the Norman Franks' Fighter Command Losses relevant volume.