On 12 May 1945 during a victory fly-past to mark the war's conclusion, another Tempest collided with his, and as a result an air pile-up occurred with four close formation low-flying aeroplanes of his flight involved, with three pilots being killed. Clostermann bailed out, his parachute opening just a few metres above the ground.
Did this happen? I haven't been able to locate the event or details of the three pilots killed. A flypast just four days after the EOW seems remarkable well organised...except for the deaths of three pilots.
K
p.s. let's not answer that it's Clostermann's old malarkey. I am a veteran of his stories, especially those proved to be false. But his record as a pilot is worth admiration.
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