Typhoon massacre of Fw190 30 January 1944

[keith A]

On this date both 198 and 609 Squadrons claim a dozen Fw190 destroyed at two locations, Rouen-La Roche (9 Fw190) and Givors/Roye (3 Fw190). I cannot find any major casualties among the LW units in the meagre sources I have. Given that Typhoon claims are pretty accurate in this period can anyone solve this mystery for me.

The Osprey volume on Typhoons claims that Jg2 were the victims, losing at least six aircraft. Can anyone identify the pilots shot down?

regards,

Keith

[Chris Goss]

From my book on the Fw 190:
On January 30, Fg Off Charles Demoulin of 609 Sqn was credited with the destruction of two Fw 190s in the Gisors/Roye area of France at around 1310 hrs. This camera gun shot shows a Fw 190 A trying to get away from Demoulin but to no avail. JG 2 lost a number of aircraft in that area around that time. Hauptmann Bernhard Schenkbier Staffelkapitän of 10./JG 2 was killed when his Fw 190 A-4,, Werk Nummer 470036 was shot down near Beaumont/Oise at 1250 hrs. Leutnant Willi Linnhoff of 9./JG 2 was killed in the same area in a Fw 190 A-6 Werk Nummer 530902 at 1300 hrs as was Unteroffizier Otto Fischer of 11./JG 2 who was killed flying Fw 190 A-6 Werk Nummer 551122 at 1250 hrs. Finally Hauptmann Fritz Edelmann Geschwader Adjutant of JG 2 was shot down and killed 10 km north-east of Senlis in a Fw 190 A-7/R6 Werk Nummer 430473. It should be stated that 198 Sqn also claimed nine Fw 190s destroyed, one probable and two damaged in the Rouen /Laroche area. German records state they were attacked by P-47s but all P-47 claims were either over Germany, Belgium or Holland.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Eric Mombeek adds that also the Kommodore Egon Mayer was shot down in this combat. but bailed out.

An unknown pilot from III./JG 2 was also lost but was not injured or killed.

Eric states Edelmann's Fw had WNr 430475 vs yours 430473. No idea which is correct....

It seems the Typhoons bounced JG 2 some 10 minutes after take off (12.40H from Lille-Vendeville)

B Rgds
Stig

[Chris Goss]

That is interesting-I have a good photo of the last moment of one of the Fw 190s-horzontal bar after the + and something ahead of it (no numeral) so wonder if it was Mayer or Edelmann?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

That is interesting-I have a good photo of the last moment of one of the Fw 190s-horzontal bar after the + and something ahead of it (no numeral) so wonder if it was Mayer or Edelmann?

Didn't the horizontal bar indicate a II Gruppe aircraft?

Cheers
Stig

[Nick Hector]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Didn't the horizontal bar indicate a II Gruppe aircraft?

Cheers
Stig

That or a Geschwaderstab aircraft

[AndyMa]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

From my book on the Fw 190:
Hauptmann Bernhard Schenkbier Staffelkapitän of 10./JG 2 was killed when his Fw 190 A-4,, Werk Nummer 470036 was shot down near Beaumont/Oise at 1250 hrs.

I was under the impression that this Arado-built aircraft was an A-6?

[Jim P.]

WNr. 430475 was a 100% loss on the 30-Jan-44 date.

WNr. 430473 was a 100% loss with 7./JG 11 on 8-Apr-44, Uffz. Kurt Bosse being KIA.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Nick

Yes on second thought, those Stab aircraft could have all sorts of weird markings....

Jim

I assume you mean 430473 and not 439473?

Cheers
Stig

[Chris Goss]

Agreed sometimes <-+-