Daytime Zerstörer Aces

[knusel]

Is it known who scored the most kills in the Messerschmitt Me 210 ?

[knusel]

Good evening Gentlemen,

I just finished reading "The Messerschmitt Me 210/410 Series" by J. Richard Smith. The article says that Erprobungskommando 25 had a fighter, a bomber and a destroyer Staffel, the latter making by far the highest number of operations. It also says that it was equipped with ten Bf 110's, one Me 210 and two Me 410's.
That makes it likely that Eduard Tratt scored his kills with this unit in a Bf 110, which raises his Bf 110 daytime kills to 28. Thus, I think he's the top daytime Bf 110 ace.

Cheers,
Michael

[Johannes]

Hi Peter

I would not agree with these totals. Basically the earlier typed-out mikrofilms for the ZG units are mostly missing. With Schob his flugbuch survives showing a total(including Spain) of seventeen confirmed claims. With Jabs(and others I should think) including in his total are some by his gunner. With Weißenberger his total would be correct as his abschüßelist survives as well as his flugbuch. With almost all others mikrofilm and flugbuch/abschüßeliste are lacking and only partial knowledge of actual claims is known. But Tratt with thirty-five confirmed claims would be the top ace in this field.

Kind Regards

Johannes

[knusel]

Good morning Johannes,

to me the most interesting Zerstörer pilot is Rudi Dassow because he might be the Me 410 top scorer. What's your opinion about him ?

I wish you a pleasant Advent weekend, sincerely,

Michael

[Johannes]

Hi Michael

Dassow is again obscure, but his last nine confirmed(and only nine) claims would be with the Me410 all "viermots" :-

8,10.43 Stab./ZG 26 B-17 1535 hrs
11,12.43 4./ZG 26 B-17 Südlich Nordeney 1220 hrs
22,2.44 4./ZG 26 B-17 bei Bielefeld 1550 hrs
11,4.44 4./ZG 26 B-17 S-W Baltic Sea 1155 hrs
11,4.44 4./ZG 26 B-17 into the sea nordlich Kammin 1205 hrs
29,5.44 4./ZG 26 B-24 S-W Bornholm 1330 hrs
20,6.44 II./ZG 26 B-24 N-W Rügen 0915 hrs
20,6.44 II./ZG 26 B-24 Insel Rügen 0915 hrs
20,6.44 II./ZG 26 B-24 Wittow/Rügen 0920 hrs

Times seem to be rounded-off to five minutes. Not sure what his total was, but twenty-two confirmed in the West is often quoted for him.....but that doesn't mean it's correct.

Best Regards

Johannes

[Peter Kassak]

Johannes, R U sure that in October and December 1943 II./ZG 26 already had Me 410s??? I do not think so...

[knusel]

II./ZG 26 had Me 410 from October onwards:
https://ww2.dk/oob/bestand/zerst/biizg26.html

[Peter Kassak]

checking the loss lists, first Me 410 losses of II. Gruppe ZG 26 occured last day of October 1943. So I assume that the at least 8.10.1943 claim is very questionable to be achieved in Me 410. It is true that Tratt was familiar with Me 410 from EKdo times and might be among the first pilots to settle it at II. Gruppe ZG 26, but still, it is at least 50/50.

[knusel]

Hello Peter

wasn't Dassow's 8Oct43 B-17 claimed as a member of Stab/ZG 26 (equipped with Bf 110) ?
Otherwise... Stab/ZG26 was reformed on 13Oct and Dassow's 4./ZG1 was renamed into his later 4./ZG26 on 11Oct.

Cheers,

Michael

[Peter Kassak]

most probably... so it counts to Zerstorer statistics but not to Me 410 tally ..

BTW, "A History of the Mediterranean Air War, 1940 - 1945, Volume 3" mentions Lt. Dassow to claim on 1 March 43 as ZG 1 member a B-24 and 9/10.3.1943 a Spitfire... so plus one more to the "Zerstorer statistics"?