[JoeHackett]

Originally Posted by Laurent Rizzotti

By checking the JFV book, I see that if there was no German claim for bombers, several groups of JG 1, JG 3, JG 11 and JG 25 were actually sent to intercept them.

The narrative for I./JG 1 says it lost one aircraft in combat and one due to engine failure. The loss list for this unit only lists the second, the Fw 190 of Ofw Piffer (WIA, 60% damage).
The JG 1 book by Eric Mombeek has both losses and says the Fw 190 A-5 WNr 410037 of I./JG 1 crashed in Brunswick area after an air battle, pilot unhurt (and so unknown).
The database of the summary of Luftwaffe losses confirm the I./JG 1 losses that day as one "destroyed by gunfire from enemy aircraft during operational flight, not observed by enemy" (probably 410037) and one "destroyed without enemy action on operational flight" (corresponding to Piffer's WNr 530720).

The JFV book had the WNr 410037 shot down in an air battle, with 100% damage and pilot unhurt... but with II./JG 1 and on 17 August 1943....

Back to II./JG 3, here is the narrative by Prien in the JFV book (my translation).

"The II./JG 3 in Schiphol was scrambled at 1245 hrs and was supposed to be guided to the four-engine bombers reported 150 km off the Dutch cost, which had meanwhile taken a south-westerly course off Borkum [my remark: consistent with the map displayed on the 392nd BG website]. There was no enemy contact with the four-engine bombers - but with some Spitfire, one of which was shot down over the sea [my remark: Hoyer's claim] - but then thick fog rose over the Dutch coastal area, in which the Gruppe broke apart. It made it impossible for the pilots to find their own base; fly around the fog to another field was not possible either because of the already burning "red lamp" showing no more gas in most Messerschmitt, so that in the end ten aircraft had to make emergency landings because of fuel shortage in open terrain. Four other Messerschmitt could not even reach land and crashed into the sea. The result was a catastrophe for the group, as they lost four killed and missing pilots and one injured as well as eight machines lost or damaged beyond repair."

So finally the JG 3 claim was done in the area of the B-24 diversion... But I don't see a B-24 being claimed as a Spitfire, and JG 3 reported not meeting the bombers.
[By the way, the B-24 diversion and the B-17 cancelled raid can so be credited with the destruction of 7 Bf 109s of JG 3 and 2 Fw 190s of JG 1. Not a bad score]

That day, the RAF lost two Spitfires that afternoon and the Luftwaffe claimed two. One pilot of 132 Sqn was captured in France so should be the victime of JG 26 here. The other is Plt Off Alistair McKenzie Finnie RAAF of 602 Sqn RAF lost aboard Spitfire IX MH730. According to the Fighter Command losses book, both Spitfires were lost during a Ramrod to Berck, Northern France. A RAF report displayed in the file by Tony Wood describing Fighter Command activity in 1943 shows that 132 and 602 Sqn flew together and made claims and reported losses over N France, so not in the place where II./JG 3 reported meeting Spitfires.

The claim of Hoyer is one hour before the one by Hoffman of JG 26 for a Spitfire, so these two claims can't be both against 132 and 602 Sqn.

The above document by Tony Wood shows no Spitfire unit off Netherlands as part of 11 Group Ramrod 273 (the one supporting the planned B-17 raid). Has someone an idea which Spitfire (or other fighters) could be there ?

Thank you so much for the extensive research you did in responding to me. My family and I greatly appreciate it, as it helps us build the story of our fallen relative. I now feel very confident in saying that Roller did not shoot down my cousin's B-24 on this date.

Thank you again!