B-25 in the Aegean Sea in 1943

[Buckeye30]

This is the German Naval War Diary for 1943, Nov.15 is on p.252; the 2 Torpedo Boats may be the "small destroyers". It says SW of Calino but that's in N. Italy, may be CALILO in the Aegean. Don't know if the time (1232) matches though.


https://archive.org/details/wardiary...ge/n1/mode/2up

[sergey]

Thank you. I've already figured out the Germans. They were TA-15 and TA-16 destroyers. The time matches, the location is west of Kalymnos Island in the Aegean Sea. The only question is about the composition of the allied strike air group—how ​​many Beaufighters operated alongside these two B-25Gs?

[Buckeye30]

From the ORBs Nov. 15.
4 Beaufighters from 47 Sqn. and 3 from 603 escorted B-25s (didn't say how many) sweeping Leros area; B-25s attacked 2 "destroyers" with cannons (so B-25Gs).
The day before 4 a/c from each Sqn. had flown a similar sweep Leros area escorting 4 B-25s from 310BG.
Nick


(Also on 15th. 7 from 227 Sqn. and 1 from 46 flew offensive sweep Leros area; met 3 He.111s, 2 Me109s, 3 Macchi 202s.) No B-25s mentioned.

[sergey]

The 47rd and 603rd Squadrons were based with B-25s in Libya, while the 46rd and 227rd were based in Cyprus. Incidentally, the 47rd Squadron was capable of using torpedoes.
Thank you very much, colleague. Basically, the matter is closed.

[Chris Goss]

46, 47, 227 and 603 are RAF squadrons so to be correct are 46 Sqn, 47 Sqn, 227 Sqn and 603 Sqn unlike their American counterparts. As a former RAF senior officer, I know that referring to them the American way gets former squadron members "hot under the collar"!!

[sergey]

I apologize, but I have come across different variants of writing RAF squadron numbers, both those already listed and this one - No. 227 sqn.

[Chris Goss]

The full title would by Number 227 Sqn RAF but it is more usually written 227 Sqn, never 227th Sqn