FW 190 Feb. 10, 1944

[Baby Boy]

I am looking for information on an FW 190 destroyed by my Father Cecil E. Manning on Feb. 10, 1944. This took place at 1115 hrs., 10-20 miles s/w of Hannover, Ger.

[drgondog]

Your father actually claimed 2 Fw 190s but received credit for 1-1-0... and it seems that the two Do 217's that he claimed on March 6 as destroyed and a probable were finally awarded 0-1-1.

USAF 85 and 8th AFVCB confirm the totals.

As to the ID of the 190 he shot down? JG1 was active in that area and flew 190's so that is one place to start looking. Do you have your father's encounter report with time and location?

Regards,

Bill

[Baby Boy]

Bill,
Thanks for the info! I do not have my Fathers's encounter report. We sadly lost him November 23, 2006.
Randy Manning robertrmanning@yahoo.com

[drgondog]

Randy - believe me I know your pain. I lost mine in 1969 and still mourn the loss.

One interesting 'connection', actually two.

My Godfather Claiborne Kinnard, was at Vanderbilt with my father before WWII. They both dated Dinah Shore. Kinnard grabbed my father for the 355th and made him 354FS CO just before he (Kinnard) transferred to 4th FG, then 'grabbed' him again when Kinnard left 4th to assume command the 355th in February, 1945. Dad was slated to take over the 479th after Zemke went down.

Connection two is that when Kinnard left 355th, Stewart promoted my father again and made him 355 Gp Exec - and then transferred to assume command of 4th FG when Kinnard came back to 355th.

My sincere condolences Randy!

Bill Marshall

[John Beaman]

Randy:

The Fw 190s claimed could also have been from JG 11. A number were lost that day in the general vicinity.

[drgondog]

John - my understanding is that StabIII plus 7, 8, 9/JG11 started transition from 109's to 190A's in the March timeframe? Incorrect?

My other understanding was that JG1, JG2 and I. & II./JG26 were the only Fw 190 units in France/Belgium/Holland and Western Germany.. it would be useful in my own research to set me straight on this.

Regards,

Bill

[Leo Etgen]

Hello guys

According to www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/jagd/biiijg11.html III./JG 11 began conversion to the Fw 190 alongside the Bf 109 in November/December 1943. It did not fully convert to the Fw 190 until February 1944. Fw 190 equipped units in the Reichsverteidigung in February 1944 included: I. and II./JG 1, III./JG 2, I. and III./JG 11, I. and II./JG 26 and Sturmstaffel 1. Any comments or corrections are welcome.

Horrido!

Leo

[Baby Boy]

I have watercolors done in Stalag Luft I representing certain air battles that my Dad was envolved in. Before his death I constantly asked him to sit down and write out a narrative of each but to no avail. One is confusing though because it depicts a FW 190 with a checkerboard nose being shot down by him while flying a P-51B WD-H.

[drgondog]

Randy - maybe he was mad at the 78th FG!

Regards,

Bill

[Leo Etgen]

Hi guys

Randy and Bill, I./JG 1 used a checkerboard or striped pattern on the cowlings of their Fw 190 fighters (black-white, black-red and black-yellow for the 1. 2. and 3. Staffel respectively or black and white stripes) through much of 1943 and into early 1944. Perhaps this Fw 190 that your father claimed to have shot down was of I./JG 1.

Horrido!

Leo