Uffz Sawallisch JG 27

[Rob Romero]

Just found this old post;

For 7 August 1942, Shores & Ring comments a report by the famous “Vögl Schwarm” of a combat with Hurricanes whereby Bendert claimed to have damaged a Hurricane: “It has not been possible to find [this combat] in any British sources.” (My translation from the German edition.)

However, if you go here:

http://www.rifty.fsnet.co.uk/saaf/aircraft.htm

. . . you will see that there indeed was an Allied air unit fighting the Vögl Schwarm, namely 1 SAAF Sqn, and the Hurricane reportedly damaged by Bendert probably was the Hurricane MkII Ser no 227, piloted by Ray Connell of 1 Sqn SAAF. The source referred to is Ray Connell’s logbook.

I found this only by pure coincidence. I have never attempted to check the list of losses mentioned Shores’s book (“Fighters over North Africa”.)

If Shores couldn’t find this combat, we cannot be certain that he hasn’t missed other combats and other losses as well.

That said, I find Shores’s book absolutely fantastic. Of course no book is without even the slightest mistake, and only a fool would expect a book to be 100 % perfect. All I say is that we should not take for granted that Shores’s book contains exactly all Allied losses. Christopher Shores probably would agree with me.


All best,

Christer Bergström

Enjoy,

Rob