[rob van den nieuwendijk]

Hello all,

On 3 May 43 between 1720-1820 II./JG 1 operated as a Gruppe, re-inforced with 2 Schwärme of 2./JG 27 with 24 Fw 190 and 8 Bf 109's. At about 20 km west of The Hague the Gruppe met 12-16 Ventura's and about 40 Spitfires as escort. Parts of 5./ and 6./JG 1 engaged the Spitfires - II./JG 1 succeeded in attacking the bombers before crossing the Dutch Coast. Numerous claims were made. Ofw Heesen and Fw Pfeiffer were shot down and missing in action. Ofw Hütter, after having shot down a Ventura, was shot down himself by a Spitfire and baled out. Slightly wounded he landed near Zandvoort.

Ofw Heesen acting as Staffelführer of 5./JG 1 engaged with the allied formation in planquadrat 4364. With his Schwarm he attacked the allied bombers from above. His wingman was attacked in this engagement by 6 Spitfires - while he dived down, he observed that Heesen dived steeply away. The leader of the high cover formation of the Staffel, who was shot down himself (Hütter), observed that a Fw 190 was shot down and crashed in 4364 over the Northsea. Heesen flew Fw 190A5, w/nr 1191, schwarze 7.

Fw Pfeiffer flew in the attack Schwarm of 4./JG 1 as number 4 and engaged the allied formation at 3385 at 1740 hours. He flew Fw 190A4, w/nr 5567 and weiße 8.

Both Heesen and Pfeiffer are still missing in action.

sources: namentliche verlustmeldung and KTB II./JG 1.

Regards
Rob

PS
On 3 May 43 487 Sqdn attacked Amsterdam power station - not located at Eindhoven.