Strange case of Walter Dahl

[Karoband]

Originally Posted by Nick Hector

Well I think Martin has shown that Dahl's later claims were pure fiction and we wouldn't have reached that conclusion without the insight into BOTH sides of the argument

I think that the next logical question is: were the flights themselves "pure fiction"? Curiously, as far as the later Me 262 flights are concerned, they are consistent with Dahl being at Munich and transferring to Salzburg with the first group of JV44 in the early afternoon of 28 April. Yet I have seen no mention of Dahl being at either place. Was this a knowledgeable hoax by Dahl?

Jim

[Broncazonk]

Is there any hint or informed speculation that these late-war over-claims, and many like it from other well-known pilots, were encouraged and sanctioned by the Luftwaffe propaganda and press corps for morale purposes?

I believe the above might be a very likely explanation for this situation.

Bronc

[Nick Hector]

Originally Posted by Broncazonk

Is there any hint or informed speculation that these late-war over-claims, and many like it from other well-known pilots, were encouraged and sanctioned by the Luftwaffe propaganda and press corps for morale purposes?

I believe the above might be a very likely explanation for this situation.

Bronc

Generally speaking, most overclaiming "makes sense". That is, a unit of the type of aircraft claimed was present and reported combat in spite of their being no actual losses or, in the case of the JG 27 "Expertenschwarm", the guys were clearly avoiding actual combat yet claiming victories as if there had been BUT it was not as if the enemy were not flying any missions at all that day.

The instances Martin has revealed is that Dahl was claiming victories on days when the US Bombers had not even flown a mission. To me, that has a ring of post-war embellishment to it, rather than the efforts of Propaganda Merchants....