P-61 buffs

[Erich]

Brian the date is actually the next eve. august 6-7-44

120 rds of 20mm used, hrs were 0130-0345 P-61 # 68. Clear with light haze, 8/10th-10/10 clouds CAVU Operation # 4 defensive patrols. 8 P-61's up.
Followed a Do 217 ? over Bayeux in a violent evasive action from 8,000 feet leveation down to 4500 feet and at 600 feet dead astern he fired a little above into the German crafts fuselage. do 217 dove into the clouds neat Bay of Mont St. Micael.

Major Ross is a question in my data base............

August 14/15, 44

Operation # 11 haze to 8000 feet, stratus to 11/12000 feet. 9 P-61's up.

"Impatient Widow" # 91 flown by Gordon followed an He 177 from 2./KG 40 going 180mph. fired into the wings and tail, pieces flew off. rear gunner of He 177 fired 13mm ? and hit P-61 in starborad engine and shout out hydrallics. He 177 dove away, P-61A-10 had cat. B/E damage, crash alnded with one engine. 2350 to 0110 hrs, Gordon used 150 rounds of 20mm ammo. The P-61 was actually written off destroyed.......... 1 kill for the He 177. the rear gunner of the He 177 was Unteroffizier Fabinger, and the pilot Hauptmann Stolte. // the rear gunner actually was using a 2cm weapon // gordons P61 was serial # 42-5591

Brian do I get a signed copy and a mention for your future volume in payment ;-)
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Monoco the 425th nfs was not operational on the 26th of August 44 as they were still working on the Vannes A/F to get it operational.

on the 27th of august, 44 pilo Lt. Nelson Willis clipped a telephone pole and smashed into a bridge ......... KIA and evidently witnesses to this effect, 3 other P-61's received flak damge though this could of been Luftw craft damage, nothing to say either end sorry.

on 29th of august 44 Lt. J. Webb crashed 3 miles S.E. of A-33N, Vannes KIA as this was operation # 13. This may well have been German a/c related ?

on the night of the 24/25 and 25/26th of December no losses reported by the 422nd or 425th nfs. But for the follwoing evening 26/27 December the 425th nfs lost P-61 # 84, Lt. Byars shot down by US AA guns near A-94 nacy, at least this is what is posted in the microfische. could this be the Ofw. Siewert kill often claimed ? An interesting comment for the 26/27 December 44 mission, 20 P-61's airborne on night intercepts clear, haze in the valleys. Many chases-lost due to GCI controller and the German A/C traveling too fast...........interesting yes ?
# 74 Colligan actually engaged a RAF Lancaster by mistake and was fired upon, but no damge. another pilot thompson flying P-61 # 82 visual on an Fw 190 and tried to intercept the GErman craft but it evaded by peeling off to the deck. # 74 Janicek lost a Bf 110 down to 500 feet altitude and the German 110's evasive action, escaped. 2 Ju 188's ? claimed for the evenings ops