To return to the original topic:
Don Caldwell provides us with an interesting research result on the circumstances during the death of another German “super veteran” -Hptm. Emil Lang (403 combat missions, 173 victories) - in the West on 3 September 1944:
Three (or maybe six) Fw 190s led by Lang were bounced by 338 Sqn/55 FG (8th AF) and RAF ADGB 41 Squadron - altogether maybe something like 25 Allied fighters, resulting in two German and one Allied fighter getting shot down.
The Mustangs of 338 Sqn/55 FG (8th AF) - i.e. probably 15 to 18 Mustangs - attacked the formation of three Fw 190s led by Lang, and after Lang’s undercarriage and fallen down he was shot down and killed. This matches with the claims made by 338 Sqn/55 FG. But then one of Lang’s wingmen shot down a Spitfire, whose pilot was buried at the same place. That led Don to find another Allied unit participating in the attack against Lang’s formation: RAF ADGB 41 Squadron, which reported eight Spitfire XIIs attacking three Fw 190s in the same area. Don speculates that there may have been an additional Kette of three Fw 190s, which is not mentioned in the German report. (Caldwell, “JG 26 War Diary”, Vol. II, p. 343.)
Of course the Allies weren’t always able to make use of their numerical superiority. To quote Don Caldwell again, this time concerning 18 June 1944: “Addi Glunz took Uffz. Lissack, a young 7th Staffel pilot on a two-airplane evening sweep. They encountered a pair of tactical reconnaissance Mustangs from No. 414 Sqd. (RCAF) and shot them both down. The more experienced of the Geschwader’s pilots could best most Allied pilots in single combat, but such opportunities came rarely.” (Caldwell, “JG 26 War Diary”, Vol. II, pp. 281 - 282.)
In some cases, the Allied failure to make use of their numerical superiority did not work against the Allies. In order to pour some oil on troubled waters, I would like to repeat that I find no reason to question Franek’s claim that III./JG 1’s Hptm. Weber was shot down in a combat between 10 Bf 109s and 4 Polish Mustangs. In other words, I find no problem in admitting that Franek has convinced me in this particular case. So what? I am not personally involved.
In other cases, the numerical superiority would not save the Allies from sustaining bitter losses - like on US 4th FG’s last mission on 6 June 1944. David Clark writes that “P-51s of 334th FS, 335th FS and 336th FS of the US 8th AF 4th FG tangled with 10 Fw 190s. . .” (“Angels Eight”, p. 42.) I don’t know why Clark states that 10 P-51s were lost - due to “mechanical failure, a collision and heavy flak”. 4th FG’s report clearly states that there were “only” seven losses, and that most - if not all - were shot down by German fighters:
“Fifteen 109s and 190s bounced them out of the cloud cover. The entire section, consisting of Bernard McGratten, Harold Ross, Walter Smith, and Cecil Garbey, was shot down and all four pilots were killed. Later, at 2035 hours, Edward Stepp was heard over the radio to say to Mike Sobanski "Watch those behind you White Leader!" after Sobanski had requested a visual check of his aircraft after hitting some wires. Both were killed. As if that were not enough, Mike McPharlin, who was visiting his old squad, the 334th, on loan from the 339th Fighter Group in his 6N-Z, was lost after reporting his left magneto was out and he was aborting. He wanted to fly "the big one" with his old buddies. He was never heard from again. The totals for D-Day, 4 destroyed, 9 lost. Seven of the losses were on the final mission of the day.”
Obviously, Clark made a mistake when he placed this disastrous combat at “just after noon”, since the 4th FG report clearly states that it was “The last mission of the day [which also] was the worst for the 4th since its inception when 12 Spitfire MkIXs were lost near Morlaix, France”- i.e. at between 2030 and 2100 hours.
The “fifteen 109s and 190s” which bounced 4th FG clearly were a composite formation from JG 2 and 2./JG 26, led by Hptm. Herbert Huppertz. These German pilots claimed six Mustangs, one Thunderbolts and three Typhoons during this mission (of which Huppertz contributed a Mustang and a Thunderbolt). In all, these German pilots were engaged by at least the Mustangs of 4th and 352nd FG, the Thunderbolts of 56 FG, and Typhoons of 2nd TAF. Probably they were engaged by even further Allied units on this day - when the Luftwaffe fighters in France performed a total of 172 sorties throughout the day (divided between at least 13 separate missions from 0800 hrs to midnight ), versus 14,674 Allied sorties (including 2,185 by US 8th AF fighters) over the landing region.
All best,
Christer Bergström
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