B-17 LOSSES 30 DEC 42

[Chris Goss]

During the attack on Lorient, six B-17s were credited to 8./JG 2 (they claimed 8 with 2 unconfirmed) and one to V./KG 40. I can see just 3 B-17s lost and one badly damaged so can anyone enlighten me further?

[Alex Smart]

Donald Caldwell has this covered in his "Day Fighters in Defence of the Reich".
Quote:
30 December
8th Air Force VIIIBC Mission# 27: 40 of 77 B17's bomb Lorient U-boat base.
TOT(Time on Target) 1238-42 - loss 3-0-22, claim 29-7-3.No escort.
The VIII BC flew an unescorted raid to Lorient.Interception was left to the well-positioned III./JG 2, which flew missions against the incoming and withdrawing B-17's. Nine victory claims were confirmed, triple the true number of B-17's to go down, for the loss of one Fw 190 and Pilot.

III/JG 2 Fw190, Vannes claims 6 B-17. losses 1
2nd Sorties
Fw190,Vannes claims 3 B-17.Losses 0.

MIGHTY EIGHT COMBAT CHRONOLOGY SUPPLEMENT (Andrews & Adams), has the following -
91 BG
41-24449 - MACR 3265, P- Bloodgood.
305 BG
42-5078, P- Love.
306 BG
42-2975, P- Brady.

"Losses of the 8th & 9thAir Forces", Bishop & Hay, vol 1 has -
41-24449 "Short Snorter" 91BG/401BS.
MACR 3265.
Head on attacks by Fw190's caused fire in No.3 engine. A/c was on fire at 21,000 ft and exploded about five minutes after target, coming down in the Atlantic. 10 Kia.

42-5078, 305BG/366BS.
No MACR.
Reported that this a/c left formation to assist a/c 42-2975 of the 306BG but was also shot down. 10 Kia.

42-2975, 306BG/423BS.
MACR 15079.
Attacked by fighters on the return off the Brest Peninsula, setting the a/c on fire.All crew are thought to have baled out but 9 were lost. After four hours in the sea 2Lt. Gardner M,Reynolds was rescued by a French Fisher man. 1 POW, 9 Kia.

Alex

[focusfocus]

According to J.Prien (JVD 7) its only 3 claimed + 2 uc.(e.V.) by 8/JG2

W.Ebert
F.May
W.Godt
H-U.Tartsh(uc.)
H.Sschmidt(uc.)

Who claimed the 5 missing?

Michel

[Adriano Baumgartner]

And just for curiosity, which crew from V./KG 40 also claimed?
Was there any Coastal Command B-17 loss this day? Maybe this claim is related to a Coastal Command loss...

[Chris Goss]

Adriano: It was a Staffel abschuss and right amongst the other B-17 claims; no Coastal Command Fortresses to link with this
Michel: Should have said III./JG 2 not just 8./JG 2. Massive overclaiming in any case

[Alex Smart]

Hello Chris,
I would not think there was "massive overclaiming" in this case.
Each claim was confirmed, the reason could be quite reasonable.
Each Pilot's claim was witnessed hence "confirmation ".
This was due most likely to the B-17 that each Pilot claimed individually was most probably hit by more than one Pilot and the B-17 was seen to go down, or explode by each Pilot that had attacked a B-17 .
Hence each pilots claim being confirmed.
But in fact they had hit the same B-17.
So six claims but only three B-17's actually lost.

[Chris Goss]

It was initially 7 but now appears to be 9 confirmed claims by III./JG 2 and V./KG 40

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Chris: Thanks for clarification. Wish you a good research and work.