Losses German Bight 18.12.1939

[bearoutwest]

Marius,

Hello there. A couple of things to keep in mind when considering fighter claims:
- The effective range for 20mm cannon fire, means the target aircraft can be as small as the thumb-nail on your hand at full reach away from your face. Under those circumstances, a pilot looking through his gun-sight will see very little else than what he’s focussed on. Another fighter firing at the same target from 200m to his left (or right) will not be necessarily noticed. So two or more fighter pilots could quite sincerely be claiming the same target shot down.
- The more aircraft in the sky, the more likely the chances of overclaiming. Many fighters approaching, many targets being fired at. Pilot A fires at the 2nd aircraft in a vic of target bombers, Pilot B fires at the lead aircraft…..3rd aircraft in target vic catches fire and burns. Both Pilots A and B think they’ve actually hit this aircraft (poor aim, badly harmonised guns, deflection shooting error, any number of reasons). Or have both pilots missed, and Pilot C – unseen by both – has actually hit this target? One shot down – three claim the kill!
- Most of the fighter pilots aren’t going to watch their target crash. It’s generally a quick pass, and reposition for another pass or another target. Especially if there are escorting fighters…the heart and other lower muscles will be contracting fast….adrenalin flowing….time for quick glances only….keep watching your back. No escorts in the case of the Heligoland raid, but the Luftwaffe Jagdfliegers wouldn’t be slouching around….too many more bombers to kill in this target rich environment.
- Was the second ghost formation an hour later than the first? Is it a matter of confusion in records, due to the different time zones?

Food for thought?
…geoff