[harryurz]

Hi Stig,
This is what I've found thus:

Claim 1/ 1 August 1942 (8.JG1) "Boston " 30 km. W. Helgoland 17-56 hours;
No obvious matches, though looking at JG1's 1942 coastal encounters the "Boston" may be a Beaufort or a Beaufighter/Blenheim type from Coastal Command. Uffz Karl Bugaj 11./JG 1 shot down Mosquito DK308 of 105 Sqn. North of Langeoog at 13:18 hrs that same day.



Claim 2/ 22 March 1943 (8.JG 1) B-17HSS Texel.
76 B-17's and 26 B-24's against Wilhelmshaven, losing 1 B-17 and 2 B-24's with 12 B-17s and 10 B-24's damaged. All 4 of JG1 gruppen flew two missions. JG 1 claimed 6 bombers ; 2 B24s and 4 B17s.


Claim 3 & 4/ 25 June 1943 Two B-17s ( now with 2. JG 11; 9.05 and 9.27 hours)
275 B-17's in scattered attacks on targets of opportunity in NW Germany when Bremen and Hamburg are obscured; 18 B-17's lost, Luft claimed 21, the 34 aircraft of JG11 claimed 12 of these (Stab claimed 2, I/JG 11 claimed 5 0812-0930 hours, II/JG 11 claimed 5). I/ JG 11 lost 2 FW190s (1 KIA).


We now have a big gap (maybe he as wounded in 1943?) to-


Claim 5/ 13 May 1944 B17 over Norway, with 'Alarmstaffel Aalborg' (ex 10.JG11)

749 bombers and 737 fighters hit targets in Germany; 12 bombers and 5 fighters lost; 289 B-17s dispatched to oil targets in W Poland; 10 bombers lost and 81 damaged. 199 B-17s dispatched to Osnabruck; 1 B-17 lost and 61 damaged; 261 B-24s to Tutow; 1 B-24 lost and 2 damaged; The most combats were with the escorts ; P-47s claimed 14-2-9, P-51s claimed 33-1-4; Luftwaffe lost 38 with 18 KIA. JG11 claimed 3 B-17s (Inc. Spreckels) 3 P-47s and 2 P-51s for 12 fighters lost, 6 KIA. Ops flown 1200-13-30 hours


claim 6/19 May 1944 B17 with 'Alarmstaffel Aalborg' (ex 10.JG11);
888 bombers and 700 fighters to Germany; 28 bombers and 19 fighters lost; fighters claim 77-0-33 : 588 B-17s to Berlin; 16 B-17s lost, 2 damaged beyond repair and 289 damaged; 300 B-24s to Brunswick; 12 B-24s lost and 64 damaged; On outward journey I/JG11 claimed 5 B-24s, II/JG11 claimed 2 fighters for 12 losses. Return journey I/ JG 11 claimed a B24 HSS and III/JG 11 claimed 2 B-17s for no loss. Luft lost 68 fighters, 30 KIA.



claim7/ 16 June 1944 11.24 hours Mosguito S. Hadsünd, Denmark;
Mosquito FB.VI (NS913) “SM-T” of 305 Sqn (Pol) RAF S/L MJ. Herrick DFC&B and Navigator F/O A Turski (Pol)both KIA;


claim 8/ 25 June 1944 12.05 hours Mosquito Skjern/Jütland, Denmark;
Mosquito FB.VI (LR373) “YH-A” of 21 Sqn RAF W/C RJ Braham DSO&2B DFC&B and Navigator S/L DC Walch POW.


Spreckels is next referenced on 1 January 1945, when 41 Fw190s of Stab., I and III/JG 11 and 20 Bf109s of II/ JG11 took part in Bodenplatte, their target the airfield near Asch, Belgium, designated Y-29, hosting the 352nd FG and 366th FG. Some 30 of JG 11 attacked Ophoven (RAF 125 Wg) by mistake. A Squadron of the 366th was already airborne to attack ground targets in the Bulge. A Squadron from the 352nd was idling on the runway as approached, and was able to get all 12 aircraft off. A large dogfight then occurred at low altitude over the base. JG11 lost 24 planes (4 to AA) and 22 pilots for a claim of 11 Allied aircraft down. 352nd FG claimed 23, 366th FG claimed 8, AA claimed 7,

Obfw. Robert Spreckels 11./JG 11 was slightly wounded, returned in an FW190A-8 , belly landed near Aachen, shot up by 352nd FG P-51 or P-47 of the 366th FG.



His rank also seems to vary and is often quoted as a Leutnant. Strikes me if he did continue serving with JG 11 then further (unconfirmed or recorded) claims could be in early 1945 against the Soviets?