Severe Overclaimers Vs. Reliable Claimers List

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Rob,

I actually did address the 9 February 1943 combat. Here it is again, this time with Allied P-40 losses on this date in boldface:

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9 February 1943
At 13:45 six II./JG 2 pilots scrambled to intercept incoming enemy aircraft. A formation of four P-39s of the 81st FG was flying a reconnaissance mission north of Ousseltia and east of Kairouan, escorted by nine P-40Fs of GC II/5. 16 minutes after take-off, the Fw 190s attacked the P-40s, and in the engagement Sgt. Chef Denaix was hit and force-landed 24 km east of Kasserine. During this fight, Oblt. Bühligen claimed two P-40s destroyed, as did Ofw. Goltzsch, and these four victories occurred between 13:51 and 13:55, three south of Djebel bou Dabouss and one south of Djebel Rihane.[1] GC II/5 lost at least three P-40Fs in this combat, and Adjudant Chef Verrier, Sgt. Chef Denaix and Sgt. Chef Borg did not return from the mission, although no one was killed. The French pilots Hebrard, Moret and Denaix claimed a Fw 190 each, but II./JG 2 had no losses in the aerial engagement.[2]

[1] The latter location is not certain.
[2] GC II/5 War Diary, pp.38-39; Film C. 2027/I; Shores, Ring & Hess, Fighters Over Tunisia, pp.199-200

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So three P-40 losses in the combat on 9 February 1943 in which Rudorffer claimed six P-40s shot down.

Cheers,
Andrew A.

[Rob Romero]

Thanks Andrew,

In your original post, you only mention the 2 claimed by Bühligen and Goltzsch each, so I guess that with Rüdorffer’s 6 claims, II/JG2 actually shot down 3 of the 10 claims they made?

Thanx,
Rob

[Hohentwiel]

Originally Posted by Andrew Arthy

[1] The latter location is not certain.
[2] GC II/5 War Diary, pp.38-39; Film C. 2027/I; Shores, Ring & Hess, Fighters Over Tunisia, pp.199-200

Who tells us that these sources are correct?