Luftwaffe Losses, 17 November 1940

[dunc8543]

Steve,

I think that your phrase " The implication of only two Luftwaffe pilots failing to return is that several pilots lied blatantly", is at the least ill informed and to some maybe seen as offensive.
It is widely accepted that during the frantic activity of a dog fight it was extremely difficult and if not dangerous for pilots to follow their victims down and observe where they crashed.
Therefore it was quite common for all sides to overclaim following combats in WW2 as aircraft seen to crash which had been attacked by a number of pilots were honestly believed to be because of those individuals actions and subsequently claimed as such.
It is a brave man who sits in judgement on events which happen with such speed and cause such fear that we who study such events can scarcely imagine.

Dunc