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Re: Barkhorn: claims vs. victories
Hi Johannes
I can imagine a situation when leader and wingman knew themselves so well, and trust each other, that they could go in a whatever melee could have happened. The bigger melee the bigger overclaim. So the point is, that each dog fight should have been analyzed in detail. I have tried to do so for a number of combats over ETO 1940-1945, and on several ocassions, the actual course of events seemed much different to what transpired from claims & losses data. My observation is, however that narratives are just essential. Sadly, there are so few from the German side. Of course, it happens that narratives seem a fiction. I recall a one of a German pilot claiming his unit being attacked by 150 Thunderbolts. Only a squadron of Mustangs was around.
All the best
Franek
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