Hartmann: claims vs. victories

[Andrei Demjanko]

Nick

I specifically mentioned "in daylight" both times. I know of night bombing of North African ports which LW fighter pilots were in no position to prevent

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

You will also find much about the critical loss of the tanker Tergestea off Tobruk, in the opening stages of Second Alamein. She was bombed and torpedoed within sight of shore and in daylight. The Navy complained that fighter escort would have prevented this (a couple of LG 1 Ju 88s were assigned instead)

Beside the fact, that Marseille was dead by this time, I./J.G. 27 was based more that 500 km to the east from Tobruk. How its pilots were able to prevent her loss is beyond comprehension. Withdrawal of fighter units from the frontline for point defence of the ports meant robbing ground troops of air cover. So it is naturally that those talks led to nothing. It was a problem which had no solution. And it was certainly beyond the grasp of Marseille or whoever else of LW fighter pilots to alter strategical situation