8./JG 52 over Constanca 23 VI 1941?

[Christer Bergström]

Due to various logbooks of III./JG 52 pilots, 7./JG 52 scrambled at Pipera at 0545 and 1315 hours on 23 June 1941, and 8./JG 52 scrambled at Mizil at 0555 and 1310 hours on 23 June 1941. However, none of the German fighter pilots seem to have made contact with the Soviet bombers. Instead, as Laurent points out, the Rumanians made a successful interception of the Soviet bombers. (Locotenent aviator Agarici of Escadrila 53 flew a Hurricane).

On 24 June 1941, III./JG 52 claimed not only eight, but 12 Soviet bombers. Actual Soviet losses were ten.

The Soviet air operations against Rumania will be closely described and examined in my book "Barbarossa: The Air War", which will be published by Ian Allan in 2007. (It is a +100,000-word large format and richly illustrated book.)