Quote:
Originally Posted by Jon
Just a question out of interest,
I am reading about the air battles over Malta at the moment and have read on several occasions descriptions of fighter pilots collapsing the open parachutes of their downed enemies with the slipstream of their aircraft. It looks to have been done by both RAF and Luftwaffe fighter pilots and although the parachutes opened again it would appear a few aircrew died as a result.
I am not here to point fingers at any Nation and i am aware that all countries had aircrew killed whilst under a parachute by fighters but, this looks to have been a "sport" not intending to kill. I have not read any accounts of this happening over Europe, Pacific etc...
Were these accidents or deliberate?
Did this just happen over Malta?
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Hi Jon,
This is exactly how my great uncle was killed flying a Mk Vb Spitfire with 249 Sqn on 10.3.1942 near Dingli (Ta'Kali) Malta. His aircraft (serial number AB343) was hit by Hpt. Karl-Heinz KRAHL of JG 3 (although OKL Fighter Claims report this as a Hurricane, the time of day is not correct, the Hurricane of Sgt Mayall was shot down c.1000 hours by Ufz Hans Schade). PO Kenric MURRAY bailed out of his crippled A/C but his chute was collapsed by the downdraft of another pursuing Bf109F as witnessed by other RAF pilots. Given there were so few Spit pilots available (having only arrived 3 days earlier) it could well have been deliberate.