Mosquito shot down on 3 March 1943

[Laurent Rizzotti]

On 3 March 1943 ten Mosquito of 139 Sqn attacked a mine at Knaben, Norway, but one (serial DZ463) was shot down by a Fw 190 off Norway.

According to Tony Wood claim lists, a Uffz Schmid of 7./JG 1 claimed at 1442 hrs a Blenheim (or a Mosquito depending of the source) at 50 m at place coded 6958i See.

At this date III./JG 1 was based at Kjevik Norway, and the hours of the claim and take-off hour of the lost Mosquito are coherent. All other German claims I am aware of for this day are in MTO.

I'm searching:
1) the location of the code 6958i See.
2) the full name of the German pilot.
3) confirmation that this Mosquito was the only Allied loss in the area this day

Thanks in advance

Laurent

[Nokose]

Laurent, I see only 139 sqn in RAF Bomber Command Losses 1943, none in RAF Fighter Command Losses for 1943. I have no material for the RAF Coastal Command. JFV 10/III has no claims for that day by I. and IV./JG5. "Code" is probably 05 Ost 6958 (I? Mitteltrapez) which is near Vestbygd, Norway the best that I can tell.

[kaki3152]

In Mombeek's JG-5 book (Volume II), there is mention of this combat and of the loss of Fw, Josef Grueber of 1./JG-5 flying a FW-190A-2, speculating that the events are linked.

[glider1]

I can confirm that this was the only loss on that day off Norway. Details from Bomber Command War Diary.

Only additional information that I have is that the rad was led by W/C Shand DFC, a low level attack on the molybdenum mines at Knaben in Norway. This precision raid was rated as being highly successful.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hi,

Thanks to all repliers, I was hoping to have data on Coastal Command losses this day but I will ask Ross McNeil on rafcommands forum.

Kaki, regarding Gruber Loss, I have the book “Jagdgeschwader 5 Eismeerjäger: Eine Chronik aus Dokumenten U. Berichten: 1941-1945“, by Werner Girbig. It says that Gruber took off with his Staffel at 1832 hrs to intercept an enemy formation and was then posted missing. That is several hours after the Mosquito raid, and the JG 1 claim. At least if all hours are correct.