Luftwaffe Loses

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi All

To ID enemy aircraft was among the toughest prospects during WW2.
Many factors played a great role, not only ignorance. Look at the Klemm 35 (a very slowmoving aircraft compared to a Mosquito)and also consider the altitude and the weather at the time. The most visible features of the Klemm 35 is its slight Gullwing and fixed undercarriage. The same most visible features as the Ju 87. How many seconds were there to ID a victim such as this while also keeping a sharp lookout for other nasty surprises.
Not much!
I see no problem at all that a crew misidentifies a Kl 35 for a Ju 87....

We also have what I call the "big-game-hunter-syndrome" to consider.
When you go out hunting for elephants it is nothing much to come back home and say you shot a couple of rats!
In a pilots case you WANT your kill to be BIG and IMPORTANT, so your mind rather select the bigger and better claim than a smaller and less
important opponent.

Cheers
Stig