Friendly fire January 14, 1945

[Ivo de Jong]

On January 14, 1945 a RAF Typhoon was shot down at Bergharen, close to Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Most likely it fell victim to two US P-47s, which were returning from escort duties over Germany.
Does anyone have any information on who these two pilots were and/or to which unit they belonged?
Thanks in advance,
Ivo de Jong

[John Manrho]

435th FS did claim a Me 109 NW Wesel....not sure what that was....they flew P-51's.

[Stephen M. Fochuk]

I wonder if our resident expert on friendly fire has any notes kicking around on this event?

[Brian]

Hi guys

Thanks for the invitation to comment. The Typhoon was R8688/X of 247 Sqn flown by Flight Sergeant Dudley C Horn, who was shot down by a P-47 SW of Ewijk. He was killed and is buried at Bergharen.

The following extract is from RISE FROM THE EAST by David Marchant

At 1300, Nos.247 and 182 Squadron’s participated in a joint effort aimed at attacking an unloading platform for a V-2 site at Zwolle. Wing Commander North-Lewis led the Squadron, with Sqn Ldr Gray leading No.182. The journey out was uneventful and the Rhine defences kept silent. Over the target area a bank of strato-cumulus obscured the ground, but by a stroke of luck the rail siding became visible through a gap in the cloud. A swift attack was made &rom 10,000 ft, with hits seen all along the track complete with fifty stationary trucks. Returning to base, two silver P-47 Thunderbolts streaked out of the cloud with guns blazing, their victims Blue section. An immediate break to starboard was made, but Fit Sgt ‘Ginger’ Horn, due to his position in the formation, had not completed the manoeuvre and his aircraft suffered a number of strikes which caused the engine to fail. The Thunderbolts sheered off immediately, whilst Ginger endeavoured to glide back to Allied lines west of the Rhine, which he reached, hut as his Typhoon touched down it hit an embankment flanking a dyke, bursting into flames. Ginger Horn died in the crash.

Also lost this day was Typhoon RB331 of 174 Sqn that was also attacked by six P-47s - Flg Off G.B. Chapman baled out east of Haltern and was taken prisoner.

I don't seem to have the names of the errant P-47 pilots for either incident, so any help would be appreciated - P47 claims for FW190s??

Cheers
Brian

[KM1957]

P-47 claims for FW 190's by 8th and 9th Air Force pilots this date:
397 Fighter Squadron made claims near Neustadt, around 1010 hours
62 Fighter Squadron made claims near Rheine 1115 hours to 1140 hours and 1230 to 1245 hours
391 Fighter Squadron made claims south of Duren around 1145 hours
389 Fighter Squadron made a claim south of Duren around 1150.
These are all from Frank Olynyk's ETO list.

Kent

[Ivo de Jong]

Thanks John, Stephen, Brian and Kent for your thoughts and comments.
It seems most likely that the P-47 pilots indeed mistook the Typhoons for FW-190s. Perhaps they were still in a frenzy after the 'turkey shoot' with JG 300 and 301. What puzzles me is that the P-47s did not stay around to finish their kill. They most likely saw their hits on Horn's Typhoon and must have noticed that they didn't score a 'kill', but 'sheered off immediately'. Were they low on fuel? Did they notice their mistake (and perhaps never even reported their encounter)?
Kent: are the claims that you list for 'destroyed' only, or do they contain 'damaged' as well? The 62nd FS claims from 1230 to 1245 seem to match best. Can you tell me who these pilots were, and do you perhaps have their combat report at hand?
Thanks again,
Ivo de Jong

[Stephen M. Fochuk]

This wouldn't have been the fist time T-bolts mixed it up with the Typhoons. A couple of pilots from No.439 Squadron, RCAF had enough and ended up, apparently, shooting a couple down sometime late '44 or '45.

[KM1957]

For the 62 Fighter Squadron, Major Michael J. Jackson claimed a long nosed FW 190 and Me 109 destroyed between 1115 and 1140 in the Rheine area. Lt. William C. Daley claimed a Me 109 (which may have been another long nosed FW 190) destroyed at 1115 in the Rheine area. Capt. Felix D. Williamson claimed (4) Me 109's and a FW 190 destroyed from 1230 to 1245 north of Burg.

Kent