Tunisian losses

[Six Nifty .50s]

Originally Posted by Christer Bergström

I am re-reading "Fighters over Tunisia" with great interest. The massacre on Ju 52s over Tunisia on 5 April 1943 is another result of the US tactic of operating in large, concentrated numbers: The formation of Ju 52s was escorted by only two Bf 109s (II./JG 27) and three Bf 110s (III./ZG 26). These were attacked by 46 P-38s, divided into two formations (due to the US report).

What about your tactics?

By using that incident as an example, I guess Christer wants us to believe that USAAF Lightnings always roamed the North African skies in group-sized wolfpacks. Nothing could be further from the truth -- the P-38 squadrons were usually committed piecemeal at the whim of army commanders. That is one reason why the 14th Fighter Group was temporarily withdrawn from battle the previous January, they were badly mauled, especially from mounting numerous ground attacks.

Your example of forty-six P-38s together in one place was not an everyday occurrence in that campaign, so we have to wonder why you tried to portray it otherwise. John Mullins' history of the 1st FG confirms that some of their planes were present that day, with the rest from the 82nd FG. According to Mullins, no P-38s from 1st Fighter Group were involved in the more famous "Palm Sunday Massacre" of German air transports.

Originally Posted by Christer Bergström

"I only saw Italian fighters on about six occasions." ("Fighters over Tunisia", p. 395.)

Sounds familiar, but then again some German pilots in Tunisia tried to avoid battle no matter what the odds. And let's face it, combat refusal is one way to reduce your losses.

"...They used to dodge combat. It was only sneaky attacks by Focke-Wulf 190s, which were very fast, very heavily armed, and what-not else, but they were not manoeuverable. And if we could catch one, and get on his tail he couldn't shake us off. But in the Spitfire Mk. Vs we were totally outclassed, in speed, climb, all except manoeuvrability..."

According to Andrew Arthy those were the words of a Kiwi Spitfire pilot (See Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in North Africa, p.53.)