13 & 23 May 1944 III/JG 53

[James A Pratt III]

Chris
Your Ghostbombers is always a good read. I do have a question in SG4: Last battles in Italy on 13 May 1944 You have III/JG 53 getting into a dogfight with a P47 unit where they down one and lose two 109s. Do you know what P-47 unit they engaged ect?
Also in the same artical you have III/JG 53 engaging B-26s claiming two. Do you have any idea which unit they attacked and what their real losses were? Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by James A Pratt III

Chris
Your Ghostbombers is always a good read ... on 13 May 1944 You have III/JG 53 getting into a dogfight ... Do you know what P-47 unit they engaged ect?
Also in the same artical you have III/JG 53 engaging B-26s claiming two. Do you have any idea which unit they attacked and what their real losses were? Thanks in advance and keep up the good work.

Chris?

I posted images of the 13 May MATAF Daily Int/Ops Summary on a thread here not long ago, so you should be able get the information about the P-47 unit from that.

The attached extract from the Summary for 23 May will probably be of no help at all, however. No mention of meeting fighters and neither is there anything in the later paragraphs on "Enemy Air" or "Losses." If these contacts took place, then the Allies don't seem to have noticed. There isn't a late report on the following day either.

www.armyairforces.com doesn't have any B-26 MACR for 23 May either. Anyone know of any Free French losses?

On the other hand III./JG 53 was pretty specific about the when and where of its claims (see the attached ULTRA). The Spitfires mentioned as intervening were apparently from 324 Wing but I don't have anything more specific.

[James A Pratt III]

Nick sorry about Chris thanks for the info.

[James A Pratt III]

Could the 23 May claims by JG 53 have been RAF or SAAF B-26s? Or some other type of twin engine bomber like the B-25, A-20, or Baltimore?