Ten Ugo Bassi shot down 23.10.1943 Podgorica by Me 109 IV./JG27

[sparviero III]

Hi All,

Can anyone please provide us with further information regarding the loss of Ten. Ugo Bassi of 208 Sq. 5° Stormo Regia Aeronautica Co Belligerante who was killed:
- on the 23.10.1943 near airport Podgorica- Montenegro in the Balcans His airplane a RE 2002 shot down by a Me 109 of Luftwaffe, almost certainly IV./JG27

Any further information regarding aircraft/crew etc would be greatly appreciated.
Antonio

[NoNo01]

Ciao Antonio,

regarding Prien; Jagdfliegerverbände 11/I page 311 the IV./JG 27 claimed:
Hptm. Joachim Kirschner; 1 Spitfire; 13:02 o clock; east of Centinje, 2500m
Hptm. Joachim Kirschner; 1 Spitfire; 13:04 o clock; south-south-west of Podgorica
Fw. Heinrich Bartels ; 1 Spitfire; 13:11 o clock; south-west of Podgorica, 2000m

Maybe they mistook the Re 2002 because of the elliptic wings with a Spit, but of course the Ariette has a radial engine and is hard to misinterpret.

Which time was Ten. Bassi shot down ??

All the best

Norbert

[Larry deZeng]

The German Flivo entry in the Tagesberichten (daily reports) of XXI. Gebirgs-Armeekorps (Albania and Montenegro) reads: "4 Spitfires were shot down by 2 German fighters over Podgorica following attacks on targets in Albania."

That's all it says. So, evidently the Re 2002s were mistaken for Spitfires.

L.

[sparviero III]

Dear friends
Unfortunately you have to excuse my English is very bad to deal with the topic in detail.
Is very likely that the spitfires shot down by Kirschner and Bartels on Podgorica are the two RE 2002 returning from a mission of Berane. On the vertical of the airport of Podgorica, the RE 2002 piloted by ten. Ugo Bassi and Serg. Aldrovandi were intercepted by a pair of Me 109. The Italians had been fighting since they had not accepted enough fuel to stay too long on the area or could try to escape being slower. The plane hit Aldrovandi though the engine was able to recross the Adriatic off and land without fuel (said the plane was destroyed, the pilot survived). Bassi was rather hit and his crash, RE 2002. The Ten Bass was reported missing but he was never heard from again.Not had he any news. It 's a mystery how they exchanged RE 2002 with the Spitfire.
The time to respond to Norbert, is consistent with the time of ace Kirschner and Bartels. there was an hour difference between the time taken by the Luftwaffe and the Regia. At the moment I can not know the exact time of the fight, but I only have time for the entire mission duration:11.40-13,45
Previously on the way back from Berane was shot down on the RE 2002 their commander captain Dino D'Ottaviano, but the report of the survivor as Aldrovandi hit by flak and forced to land in the middle of a forest where he ended with the crash.
It 'seems likely therefore that the 2002 RE D'Ottaviano is the first "spitfire" in order of time Kirschner claimed that day
although the area does not match (Centinje instead of Berane)
All the best
Antonio

[sparviero III]

In In red is shown the last combat mission of Lieutenant Ugo Bassi pilot of 208^ Squadriglia, 5° Stormo: 23.10.1943 Manduria - Podgorica
It 's reported that Ten.Bassi shot down a "Gustav" in collaboration with Sgt. Ugo Aldrovandi, but the note appears to be unfounded
something about...
Antonio

[sparviero III]

The war diary of IV./JG27 is viewable? and where?

[sparviero III]

Could someone help me to know if the diary if IV.JG27 relayed to October 1944 still exists and if yes, where is it possible to access it, at least to read the information about 22nd-23rd October ?
Is it also possible to see or get a copy of the flight diaries of Bartels and Kirschner ?

Following is the translation of report of the only survivor of the encounter between Me109 of IV.JG27and Re2002, serg. Aldrovandi:
"On that day Cpt. D'Ottaviano, Lt. Bassi and I, performed a strafing attack on german troops in the Berane valley. Our commander was hit by the german flak and had to land in enemy territory. That means that only Lt. Bassi and I could fly back. While flying over Podgorica, at that time occupied by the germans, I was flying about 100m next to Lt. Bassi's when I noticed two aircrafts that looked manouvering in a strange manner as they were kind of trying to fly around us.
I flew closer to Lt. Bassi's aircraft and informed him about the danger in a short time but that time was enough for the faster enemy aircrafts be able to to fly behind us. We had fuel enough only to fly back and we still had to fly over the sea, so we had to disengage from the combat. As the enemy was faster if we tried to escape they could reach us very soon. We had to start the combat. The german flak fire was also intense. How and why I could disengage from my enemy is still nowadays unclear to me but I realized I was alone and at the same time I saw Lt. Bassi's aircraft falling down with the enemy aicraft firing with all the guns. From my estimation, Lt. Bassi could not move his aircraft, especially if his physical conditons were not ok and I didn't see him jumping off with the parachute. Also, because of the aircraft camouflage I could not follow the aircraft touching the ground, so I cannot say if it crashed or landed. I tried to look for it on the ground but it was dangerous to stay alone and too long in enemy territory, especially because I had enough fuel to return only to return, so I had to give up further search."

From that day no documents talked about Lt. Bassi and it's still unkwnown where he was lost.