February 26th, 1943, M.T.O.

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

I need your help again: On February 26th, 1943, 4./JG 51 was involved in aerial combat with B-17s over the M.T.O. According to the official German claims documents Obfw. Otto Schultz of 4./JG 51 filed a claim for a B-17 on this date that went down 50 kms West of Gafsa / Tunisia at 16.05 hrs. On the other side 4./JG 51 lost one Messerschmitt due to battle damage resulting from combat with B-17s and its pilot Uffz. Hans Pfluger who was killed while attempting a forced landing at Villarios on Sardinia.

Now, apparently these two proceedings do not fit together; however Shores / Ring / Hess ( German edition ) tell a different story saying that the combat took place over the Tunisian coast in the area of the Northern front line and that the B-17 crashed into the sea while Uffz. Pfluger came down at Villarica, which I cannot find in my maps. So the bottom line of this is, that both claim and loss were linked to the same combat.

My questions are:

1) What was the exact location of the loss of Uffz. Pfluger ?

2) Were there one or more B-17 operations on this day ? I know of one that saw 24 Boeings attacking Axis-shipping off the Islands of Lipary near the Northern coast of Sicily, but what was the target of those that Obfw. Schultz was attacking over the heartland of Tunisia.

3) Does anybody have an account from the U.S. side as to what happened on this day ?

Any help to clear this mess would be gratefully appreciated.

Regards

Jochen Prien

[Gizmo]

Hi,

According "Air War Europa" by Eric Hammel:

1. Sardinia - Nineteen XII Comber Command B-17s attack the docks and rail lines at Cagliari
2. Tunisia - Thirty-two NASAF B-17s attack the port facilities and Shipping at Bizerte, and escorting 1st Fighter Group pilots down four Bf 109s over Bizerte at 1215 hours

IX Fighter Command P-40s attack German Army positions along the Mareth Line. One Bf 109 is downed in Southern Tunisia by 57th FG P-40 pilot at 1540 hours.

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Jochen,

Here's what I have on this combat:

At 14:35 there was an attack by four-engined bombers on Cagliari and Elmas. The Sardinian Freya radar picked up the approaching enemy aircraft at 14:28 at a distance of six kilometres. Warning was given to II./J.G. 51 fighters and the anti-aircraft defences at 14:31, and at 14:32 four Bf 109s took off. A Boeing Fortress was shot down 50 km west of the island by Ofw. Otto Schultz of 4./J.G. 51 (53). Three Bf 109s landed between 15:20 and 15:28. The other Bf 109 made a forced landing at Cagliari after being shot up, and the pilot, Uffz. Hans Pflüger of 4./J.G. 51, was killed during the landing. Uffz. Pflüger had been flying Bf 109 G-4 W.Nr 10 895, one of the unit’s new aircraft.

Sources
NA HW 1

Aders & Held

Shores, Ring & Hess


Cheers,
Andrew A.

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Gizmo, dear Andrew and dear Don,

many thanks for your kind assistance and your helpful input on and off board. Your help is much appreciated.

Kind regards

Jochen Prien

[Hochsitz]

Hallo,
in PRIEN, Geschichte JG 77, Bd. 3, S. 1842, wird die WNr 10895 einer erbeuteten Bf 109 zugeordnet, Skz GH+ZQ, Fundort VILLACIDRO, Sardinien, um den 22.07.1943 herum.
mfg

[Andy Mitchell]

Guys,

The US Military Intellegence Service "WWII Chronology - February 1943" gives the following for Feb 26 1943:-

"Cagliari seaplane base and Elmas airdrome bombed by 20 B17s; hits scored on docks, RR yards, and industrial section.Attack opposed by 8 Me 109s and some Italian fighters, of which two are destroyed, 2 damaged."

It is also worth noting that further attacks took place on 28 February and are reported as follows:-

"Cagliari heavily bombed by 26 B17s which score hits on jetty, warehouse, RR yards and town. Twenty-three B17s make second raid on same target; direct hits scored on 1 ship, docks, RR yards, and towns; 9 Axis planes intercept and 3 are destroyed, 3 damaged."