[Johannes]

Hi Guys

I have scrutinised the "13" and personally think they are made up by somebody. Firstly the only claim that sits well with JV44's claims is as suggested that for 20th April. In all the others they are unique amongst JV44's claims, and those for 26th April are impossible as the KBT papers cover this date, and omit these. John Foreman thought that JV44 claimed an Allied aircraft(type unknown) on 1st May which Kirchmayr could have claimed.

If Allied loss experts scrutinised Kirchmayr's claims we can find out if he was honest or not. Personally I think he probably was honest as I have several abschüßmeldung each giving a different witness, these also give which number claim it was for the pilot, and this indicates a low total.

Also he turns from an unspectacular claimer, to suddenly being brilliant.......doesn't seem likely despite a superior aircraft.

If I were to exaggerate a pilots claims, I would do this for 1945 as there is almost no way of dis-proving it, but Kirchmayr in his lifetime could not have known this (died 8th December 1994)which suggest that somebody else has made-up spurious claims for him, or they are perfectly legitimate, but rememboring the KBT papers, the former is more likely.

I do have an earlier flugbuch for him, perhaps comparing the two might give an answer.

Kind Regards

Johannes