31/3/45: 2 RCAF Spits shot down by P-51

[Brian]

Hi guys

Two RCAF Spitfires from 416 Squadron were shot down on 31 March 1945 by a USAF P-51 flown by an unidentified American major, who was later court-martialled.

Can anyone provide the errant pilot's identity, please?

Cheers
Brian

[Brian]

Hi guys

Further to this enquiry, can anyone advise if any relevant P-51 squadron CO was removed from command on 1 April 1945 or shortly afterwards? The errant pilot was apparently a Major, and I assume was a CO.

Cheers
Brian

[kaki3152]

Not necesarily, many times high ranking (Major and above)pilots flew misions with Fighter Groups on attachment from HQ

[Brian]

Hi Kaki

Yes, that's true, but still no suggestion as to who it was.

Cheers
Brian

[KM1957]

Can you provide a location for the two planes shot down? That would narrow down some possibilities for my search.

Kent

[Delmenhorst]

Try and look up Major William M Long from 353rd FG. The two Spitfires came from No. 416 Squadron.

[KM1957]

Long did claim a Me 109 destroyed at 1015 hours, close to an airfield near Hanover on March 31, but is this even close to where the two Spitfires lost? Long served with Headquarters of the 353rd Fighter Group and was still with the unit until being transferred in July 1945. A location for the 416 Squadron losses would still help.

Kent

[RSwank]

Here is a link to Long's report of the 31 March encounter.
http://www.spitfireperformance.com/m...-31march45.jpg

[udf_00]

University of Illinois at Springfield
Norris L Brookens Library
Archives/Special Collections
353rd Fighter Group’s 1983 Reunion Memoir
www.uis.edu/archives/memoirs/353RDFIGHTERGROUP.pdf
There is an index at the end of the pdf
Long, Major, 16, 53

Maybe the encounter report has been "edited", 1800 rounds of ammo expended for a single 109 in a single pass seems a bit too much.

[RSwank]

Interesting comments about Long on those pages. This link has a lot of encounter reports,
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.o...t-reports.html

and includes this one by Tordoff, who was leading Long's "Jockey Red" flight.

http://www.spitfireperformance.com/m...-31march45.jpg

As far as the encounters report being "edited", I believe that is very likely. I have seen similar things for Fighter Groups operating in Italy.

Now... was Long ever court martialled?

Here is a prior link about Long.
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=32301

Here is a plane he cracked up in a taxi accident.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/dougsheley/5769887277/