315 Squadron claims, 18 August 1944

[Franek Grabowski]

Well, the mess is because Germans were taking off from two adjacent airfields. F/S Słoń, I think Yellow 4 noticed waving grass, and called S/L Horbaczewski, who ordered him to lead the attack. He followed with his Red Section, and in the effect got into a gaggle of Fw 190s, S/L Horbaczewski Red 1 following two Fw 190s, himself followed by another two Fw 190s, chased by P/O Nowosielski Red 2. Then there were other Mustangs making attacks, so it turned into a real mess, with Fw 190s running into various directions, some chased by Mustangs. Repeated attacks lasted for a while, so it was not a single attack.
The last moments of Horbaczewski are known, but do not lead to any definite conclusion. His Cas P4 report does not contain extra information. Germans filed a little bit excessive claims, but no reports are known, so we cannot be sure. Only one German pilot lived long enough to provide his account, so unless some extra stuff shall appear, I am afraid we will never know.