Seeking help regarding combat on 5/12/1940

[SpitfireZPC]

I'm trying to piece together a combat incident that occured at about 1510 hours over Dover on 5th December 1940.

It seems that Flt Lt Allan Wright of 92 Squadron and Flt Lt John Freeborn of 74 Squadron shot down the same Bf 109E.

Freeborn damaged it's cooling system and then Wright followed up the attack.

I'm trying to find out the Spitfire letters and code that Wright was flying at the time. Freeborn reported that the 92 Squadron Spitfire that shared the 109 was "cannon armed" and I've been told that the only cannon armed Spitfire on this patrol was that flown by Wright. It might also have been the only cannon armed aircraft with 92 at this time.

I'm also trying to find out what staffle the 109s they engaged belonged to, but I have no idea where to even begin to look to find that out.

Any help would be really appreciated. Thought I'd ask here incase someone else might have looked in to this before.

Thanks in advance,

Chris (legion05@hotmail.co.uk)

[Frank Olynyk]

Freeborn's combat report (CR: Air 50/32-232&233) gives the time as 1530, and 10 miles off Boulogne. He was flying Spitfire IIa P7366 (from ORB). He has a second claim (at the same time, all too typical of CRs) 10-15 m off Dungeness, as well as a damaged at Dungeness, which is the one he says was s/d by a cannon armed Spitfire. All claims at this time are by 74 Sqn in Spitfire IIa's. Wright was flying a Spitfire I R6908 when he claimed a 109 destroyed in the Dover area. There were Hurricane I claims "around" the same time, as well as Spitfire I claims by 421 Flight. A good place to start checking would be Jack Foreman's Forgotten Months, which covers Nov-Dec 1940.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Peter Cornwell]

Chris,

109 losses in the afternoon attack on Hawkinge on 5 December 1940 are as follows:

Stabsschwarm JG26 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/B (5816). Belly-landed on beach at Wissant damaged in combat with Spitfires of Nos.74 and 92 Squadrons and No.421 Flight over the Channel off Folkestone during escort sortie for Jabo attack on Hawkinge by II.(S)/LG2 3.10 p.m. FF Oberlt Walter Horten (Geschwader TO) unhurt. Aircraft Black – + – 30% damaged but repairable.

1./JG26 Messerschmitt Bf109E-7 (5968). Shot down in combat with Spitfires of Nos.74 and 92 Squadrons and No.421 Flight south-east of Dover during escort sortie for Jabo attack on Hawkinge by II.(S)/LG2 3.10 p.m. FF Lt Hans Heinemann missing. Aircraft White 4 + 100% write-off.

3./JG26 Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4/B (6324). Crash-landed at Wissant damaged in combat with Spitfires of Nos.74 and 92 Squadrons and No.421 Flight over the Channel off Folkestone 3.10 p.m. FF Oberfw Robert Menge badly wounded in left arm and shoulder - admitted to hospital in Calais. Aircraft 40% damaged but repairable.

4.(S)/LG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4/B (5563). Failed to return from Jabo attack on Hawkinge and believed crashed in the Channel off Cap Gris Nez following combat with Spitfires of Nos.74 and 92 Squadrons and No.421 Flight 3.10 p.m. FF Oberlt Heinz Vogeler (Staffelkapitän) missing. Aircraft ▲ + White C 100% write-off.

Due to the plethora of RAF claims and confused nature of some of the attacks/combats I have never been able to determine exactly who shot down what. Good luck with it.

[SpitfireZPC]

Frank, thank you! R6908 was 'QJ-T', do you know what code P7366 was? 'ZP-?'.

Peter, thank you for that information, that is great. Seems unlikely that I'll single down the exact aircraft, but at least I know it was JG 26 or LG2 now.

It does appear that the cannon-armed Spitfire Freeborn referred to was Wright's because as far as I am aware, he was the only one flying with cannons. Wright also reported joining up with 74 Squadron and over taking over a Spitfire which was level with him before his attack.

Really appreciate it guys,

Cheers,

Chris

[Frank Olynyk]

Chris,

Sorry, no idea of the aircraft codes.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Andy Saunders]

Generally, Alan Wright flew QJ-S when he could. But that's a long way from saying those were the codes of his a/c that day.

Al is still with us, but not in a fit state to check for you. However, do a bit of further delving in the 92 Sqn ORB and you may locate the answer.

[SpitfireZPC]

Thanks Andy, I'm in contact with Allan and Barbara actually, but didn't want to trouble them with this.

I've discovered that the codes were 'QJ-T' after finding a photo of R6908 in Michael Robinson's book, Best of The Few.

Just need to track down Freeborn's codes now for P7366.

Appreciate the help!

Chris