Herky Green's six

[keith A]

On 30 January 1944 the 325th FG made several claims over Italy. Among these were 4 Ju52, a Do217 and a Mc202. Does anyone have details of the Axis units involved in this combat?

[veltro]

One of them certainly was 1° Gruppo Caccia ANR, which on that day (according to an original listing coming from the "Ufficio Voli" of the unit) claimed 1 B-24 with S.Ten. Nicolino Stabile and two P-47s respectively with M.llo Carlo Magnaghi and Ten. Giuseppe Re. The Italian unit lost three C.205s (the C.202 claimed was one of the more than usual mistaken identifications of Allied pilots...), with Cap. Marco Marinone and Ten. Luigi Torchio KIA. The pilot of the third one baled out safely and is reported by some sources to have been S.Ten Luigi Cipiciani, which is still not certain because the same pilot was KIA on the following day.

The German fighter units involved in combat on that day (some against the bombers and some against the P-47s) were I./JG 77 - which lost three Bf 109s of 1. Staffel and one of 2. Staffel - and I. and II./JG 53 - which lost eight Bf 109s: one of 6. Staffel, three of 4. Staffel, two of 3. Staffel and one each for 1. and 2. Staffel.

I have no sure data available about the other claims.

Hope this helps