[Johannes]

Hi Guys

Mostly Schuhmacher's claims were unconfirmed. Only those I number 4 until 7 we can say are 100% accurate:-

12th April 1940 Wellington Stavanger u/c
9th July 1940 Blenheim Stavanger area 1008 hrs Nr.1
9th July 1940 Blenheim Stavanger area 1015 hrs Nr.2
15th August 1944 Spitfire East of Blythe ~1250 hrs Nr.3
14th October 1943 B-17(HSS) u/c
11th November 1943 P-47 u/c
13th November 1943 P-38 u/c
11th January 1944 B-17 Paderbor area u/c
3rd March 1944 P-51 10km North of Celle ~1210 hrs u/c
6th March 1944 B-17 South of Assen 6000 metres 1458 hrs Nr.3
23rd March 1944 B-17 Hildesheim area 5500-6000 metres 1038 hrs Nr.4
8th April 1944 B-24 South-West of Salzwebel 1351 hrs u/c
11th April 1944 B-17 North of Fallersleben 6000 metres 1100 hrs u/c
8th May 1944 B-24 North-West of Hannover 0939 hrs Nr.6
19th May 1944 P-47 Osnabruck area 1235 hrs Nr.7
17th December 1944 P-47 1116 hrs u/c

First four with 2./ZG 76, then eight with 6./JG 1, then three with Stab.II./JG 1, last with Stab./JG 3. No proof of any jet claim, but possible. Like with Erwin Laskowski who was always believed to have forty-five confirmed claims, but by his flugbuch is proved to have only fifteen confirmed claims(and at least seven unconfirmed) Schuhmacher was awarded the Ritterkreuz not for his actual low total. Schuhmacher's "twenty-three" is in my opinion something "cast in Stone", and duplicated for decades, but is reality is likely to be based either on the points system, total claims(but not confirmations), or some mistake.

Kind Regards

Johannes