6 -7 February 1944

[CENTURION]

Hello All,

On 6 February '44 Spitfires of 2nd and 5th FS of the 52nd FG claimed 2 HS123, one HS126 and one Fi156 @ 17:15 west of Manigliano airfield.

On 7 February '44 Spitfires of 4th FS of the 52nd FG attacked a flight of HS126 towing DFS230 gliders near Loano and claimed 4 HS126 @ 09:10.

Can you provide some details and do you know the German units involved in the events?

Thanks

Best Regards
Marco

[veltro]

The combat of 6 February was described in detail in the book "The American Beagle Squadron" and, courtesy of my friend Robert C. Curtis, who was a pilot of the 2nd FS and co-author of the book, I am trascribing here the relative paragraphs.

Please notice that the airfield was Malignano and that the ID of the biplanes as "Hs 123" is quite dubious, since their use in Italy was unknown so far. Their true ID as Fiat Cr.42s or IMAM Ro.41 is much more probable...:

"...On the 6th Adams and Bickford flew recce to La Spezia in Spit 8s again; to 21,000 feet. They saw a cruiser in the harbor. Adams notes that the engine of his plane cut out on return trip and that he nearly bailed out over the sea, but the engine picked up again. Alexander reports a recco flight: "Elba to La Spezia‑saw nothing;" a DB mission whose target was two barges at Sestri Levante‑"no hits;" and an afternoon fighter sweep in the Piombino area.
On this mission a group of observation and trainer planes were sighted over Malignano airfield, about six miles SW of Siena, and four of them were shot down; a Fiesler Storch (FI 156, by Dixie Alexander, two Henschel 123s (a biplane dive bomber that preceded the JU 87) by McCraw and Taff (Fifth Squadron); Schneider destroyed a Henschel 126 (an observation plane). McCraw also destroyed a HS 123 on the ground. The group war diary says that some of the pilots kidded Alexander about shooting down an observation plane. His reply; "he might have grown up to be a 109 pilot."
Here are Schneider's combat report narrative and a claim confirmation narrative by Harold Taff of the Fifth Squadron.
1st Lt. Jack R. Schneider, February 6, 1944. I was Red 4 in a flight of nine a/c on a fighter sweep of the Italian mainland between Leghorn and Florence. At 1710 hours I was flying south at 4500 feet, about one mile east of Malignano a/d, when Red 1 (Alexander) called in two e/a at 9 o'clock below, on the deck. The e/a, identified as an FI 156 "Storch" and an HS 123, were heading east. Red three told me to fly line abreast. We then went after the HS 123, which turned away from the FI 156 and headed north. Red 3 dived to the deck while I remained at about 500 feet. I saw Red 3 make his passes and the e/a do a wingover to the left and go down. I did not see it crash because I pulled up at the time, as I saw Birthday White 2 make a pass at a third e/a, which I identified as an HS 126. I then dived to the deck, heading west, and approached this e/a from dead astern. I was indicating about 170 mph and the e/a about 135 mph. As I closed the e/a turned ninety degrees to me and as he made the turn I fired a full deflection, one‑second burst of cannon and machine gun fire and saw its right wing come off. The e/a rolled over and crashed to the ground about two miles east of the aid.
The e/a was painted dark green and grey, with black crosses on each of the upper wing tips and on the sides of the fuselage behind the cockpit. The weather was 7/l0ths clouds at 7,000 feet, visibility unlimited. As we approached the a/d from the west, we were up‑sun to the e/a. Ammunition expended: 80, .303 and 11, 20mm.
Confirmation of claim by Lt. Schneider: Harold A. Taff, 1st. Lt., A.C. I was White 2 of a four a/c flight acting as top cover for six Spitfires of the 2nd Squadron on fighter sweep in the Spezia area and south. As we neared the Italian coast one of our a/c returned because of engine trouble and the remaining three joined Red flight to make three sections of three a/c. We approached Malignano a/d at 4500 feet, [AS 210 mph, headed SE and flyingline abreast. My a/c was in Red left 3 position but was in Red right 3 after we made a ninety degree turn to the left. While headed NE and crossing the south end of the runway at about 1710, Red 1 (Alexander) called in two a/c on the deck at 9 o'clock 1/4 mile away. Red 1 peeled off and made a sweeping turn around the eastern edge of the field. My section leader spotted an e/a and spiraled down to attack; we followed in string. When I was NE of the field I saw Lt. Alexander shoot down an FI 156, which crashed on the SW edge of the field. I knew it was Alexander because his a/c was first in position to make an attack. Red right i was diving to attack, followed by his number 2, but passed up one e/a to attack another. I dived on this e/a, an HS 123, as it headed NW up a little valley to the NW of the field. I fired a short burst of machine gun and cannon fire from about 200 yards as the e/a made a turn to the left. I broke off at about 100 yards and pulled up because the e/a was doing only about 100 mph and I was hitting 260 lAS. Strikes were observed behind the cockpit, making a hole that made the a/c look like a two‑seater. I was sure that I had gotten the pilot. As I pulled up, I lost sight of the e/a but saw another one crash NW of the runway. I could tell from his position in the flight that it was F/O McCraw who destroyed this e/a. As I turned to join him, I saw his number 2, Lt. Schneider, dive and attack a third e/a. It crashed NW of the field. Then I joined the Spitfires that had formed over the field and we headed back to base.

Alexander submitted these comments on the mission.
I believe that there were only eight Spitfires‑two sections of four‑and someone from the 5th Squadron was my wingman. I got in the first bounce and then pulled up to watch the action. It looked like hare‑and‑hounds with everyone down in the valley trying to get a pop at those little e/a. How they kept from running into each other or into a hillside I'll never know."

Hope this helps.

[Nick Beale]

I think the attached Ultra decrypts will give you the outline of the story from the German side.

[CENTURION]

Dear Veltro, dear Nick,

thank you very much for your reply.
I much appreciate you info.



Best Regards
Marco