Condor Combats in the Mediterranean

[Chris Goss]

Can anyone match who these RAF pilots might be? A German FW 200 pilot noted these combats in his Flugbuch whilst operating from Lecce

10 Dec 42 (Beaufighter)
18 Dec 42 (?)
24 Dec 42 (Beaufort)
27 Dec 42 (Beaufort & Beaufighter)

[Frank Olynyk]

Chris,
Dec 10, 1942. 227 Sqn, Lampadusa area, 0735-1030.
BV-222 dam, Sgt. Allen John Philips (RAAF)/Sgt W Chapman.
FW-200 prob, F/L John Archibald Rae(RCAF)/Sgt Lawrence John Charlton + Philips/Chapman
BV-222 prob, Rae/Charlton
BV-222 dest, Rae/Charlton

Dec 18, 1942. No FW-200 combats in my file.
Ju-88 dest, 0200, Bone area, 255 Sqn, W/C Kelly/F/L Lammer
2 SM.82 dam, 1135, 150 m, 145 deg from Delimara, 227 Sqn, F/L DW Schmidt(RCAF)/F/Sgt AB Campbell.
SM.82 dam, Schmidt/Campbell + W/O GWC Thomas/P/O NJ Lewis
SM.82 dest, Thomas/Lewis (possibly GMC Thomas)
Ju-88 dest, 1910-2025, North Africa, 89 Sqn, Sgt CC Webb/Sgt JV Mathers

Dec 24, 1942. No FW-200 combats in my file. Never checked Beaufort Sqns.
Italian float plane dam. 1400-1750, Tunis Bay, 153 Sqn. F/O KG Rayment/P/O GE Lanning
Ju-88 dest, as above

Dec 27, 1942.
FW-200 dam, 0923, 120 deg, 134 m from Luqa. 272 Sqn, W/C JK Buchanan/Sgt JE Orchard.

The above from ORBs, plus a CR for 89 Sqn in Air 50.

Enjoy!

Frank.

[Chris Goss]

Frank

Thanks as usual.

10 Dec 42 notes a take off time of 0742 from Lecce, landing Tripoli at 1122 hrs on a transport mission and that they were intercepted by two Beaufighters.
18 Dec 42 is a red herring-apparently the flight was without incident!
24 Dec 42 they spotted a Beaufort but that was it.
27 Dec 42 they took off from Lecce at 0756 for Castel Benito landing 1058 so the times match. I wonder if a Beaufighter was lost that same time as the FB talks about 1 abschuss

Chris