Hi
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Originally Posted by Johannes
Your bogus stories item is actually most interesting, I am sure that some pilots made up such stories, but many others had things made up about them, and probably never ever knew about it in their lifetime.
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I have been in touch with a son of a Soviet pilot downed in Murmansk area by a well known JG 5 pilot. There was a marked discrepancy between the accounts of both, and the Soviet pilot was the only loss, despite numbers claimed by the German pilot. This was based on post-war accounts.
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Actually I had heard good things about III./JG54, if true this might explain the very obvious decline in the Lang gang's claiming. Hopefully a Russian loss expert can cross-examine my thoughts here.
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If it has not been done already, no doubt it will. The problem is that the Lw research is poor, and in fact nobody ever attempted to recreate a sort of RAF Form 541 for any German unit. It would help immenselly to understand the situation.
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As for Bader, fact he came up alone behind a whole staffel of Bf109's, didn't want to attack so dove away, another Spitfire came up behing the same staffel and saw one dive away, which he nailed...…..it being Bader, Bader never fired a shot, claimed he shot down two Bf109's and collided with another, Bader's victor was them himself shot down, whilst a prisoner and talking to Bader he realised his mistake and apoligised to Bader, yer Bader still maintained he was rammed by a Bf109, I believe he also avoided paying tax on his autobiography because he was a National hero...…...you need gal.
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As far as the book explains it, Bader misjudged his approach, so following his attack he had to dive down to avoid collision. He certainly has not written his autobiography, as it was Paul Brickhill who was the author. There was some quarrel about share in royalties, though.
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Originally Posted by Alfred.MONZAT
I have not read this book but... three friendly fire ? In the same combat ?
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Yes, Bader, and two aircraft of No 452 Sqn downed by the 452 Sqn airmen, who clashed with themselves. Several, but cannot say how many exactly, RAF losses do not match German claims, including Galland.