Vechta airfield April 9, 1944

[keith A]

On this date the 352nd Fighter Group strafed a numver of Ju88s on this airfield. Although described as bombers/dive bombers I believe they were in fact Ju88C-6b nightfighters of eith NJG-3 or NJG-5. Can anyone give me more details?

regards

Keith

[Chris Goss]

Problem will be if there were no crew casualties, greater detail will be lacking

[Merlin]

The only unit at Vechta at that time was I./NJG 3 but they were equipped with the Bf 110G-4.

[Larry deZeng]

Vechta (GER) (52 43 40 N – 08 16 00 E)
9 Apr 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-47 Thunderbolts – claimed 7 x Ju 88s destroyed.

Operational Units: III./KG 4 (Oct 39 – Jan 40); III./KG 54 (Apr-May 40); I./KG 27 (May-Jun 40); I./NJG 3 (Oct 40 – Aug 44); III./JG 27 (Nov 40 – Feb 41); part of IV./NJG 5 (Aug 43 – May 44); 7./KG 3 (Sep-Oct 44); 3./KG 53 (Sep-Dec 44); I./KG 66 (Oct-Dec 44); II./NJG 2 (Dec 44 – Mar 45); part of II./JG 6 (Dec 44 – Jan 45); I./NJG 4 (Jan-Mar 45).

L.

[RT]

On 29.th March, there were an other 'Tiefangriff' they killed only Bf110G-4

Rémi

[Larry deZeng]

29 Mar 44: strafed by VIII Fighter Command P-47 Thunderbolts – claimed 2 x Me 410s, 1 x Bf 110, 1 x Ju 88, 1 x captured B-17 and 1 x unidentified aircraft destroyed, plus 1 x Me 210, 2 x Fw 190s, 1 x Ju 88 and 9 x unidentified aircraft damaged.

The above according to the Allied after-action report.

L.

[RT]

I.NJG3, 3xBf110G-4 100 % loss, it's pretty time to find the GQM loss reports...


Rémi

[keith A]

Thanks chaps I got the same info as Larry, No Bf110s were claimed in the strike on 9 April 1944 so there's something odd about this. The 352nd surely could not have mistaken Bf110G for Ju88s. Could it be a visiting Ju88 unit? Or perhaps dummies? Or they didn't hit Vechta at all but another airfield? I assume the camera gun film showed enemy aircraft on fire or exploding which would surely negate the dummy aircraft argument.

K

[RT]

At what moment assesment of damages is made, during the ops. or later with high altitude recce aircraft ?? the second seems more suitable no ??
Rémi