Spitfire Escort 20 Nov 42 to Beau's

[phasselgren]

Originally Posted by Col Bruggy

Hello,

Too early?

The following is known:

20 November 1942:

Two 335 kites were sent out on a Rhubarb to the Furnes, Belgium area. Roy Evans caught a wandering Fi 156 and shot it down at 1135 hours, three miles southeast of Furnes. Before getting back to England, Evans had to bail out into the sea*, but was rescued a short time later. (Box Score: 1 Destroyed, 0 lost)

See: Escort To Berlin:The 4th Fighter Group in World War II.
Fry,Garry L. & Jeffrey L. Ethell.
New York:Arco Publishing,1980.
p.4.

* 335thFS USAAF. Spitfire Vb AA752 - Into sea on ops.

The Spitfire escort (which failed to materialize, incidentally), was possibly No.167 Sqn, based at Ludham.

Col.

Tony Wood's combat claims and casualties has this Rhubarb on the 21 November. Possibly a mistake in the transcribt of the original document.

Regards
Peter

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

Yes, I'm willing to admit the source I used is somewhat dated (and unreliable). I did check several other sources:

1/ Frank Olynyk's , USAAF (European Theater) Credits.(same author's, Stars & Bars).
2/ Kent Miller's, Fighter Units & Pilots of the 8th Air Force. Vol.2.
3/ Spitfire:The History, Morgan & Shacklady.
4/ A-B's RAF Aircraft AA100 to AZ999.

All quoted the date as 21 November, 1942.

I opted for Fry & Ethell. Seemingly, they are wrong, and so am I. Apologies!

Col.