French Air Force --Oran -- Operation Torch

[Empiricist]

Steve, in my opinion you do feel the problem very good. As it seems to me the C-47s were destroyed by the D.520s in very specific circumstances of NOE flight, approach and/or taxiing. The question is how many C-47s were strafed in fact and destroyed really by Vichy pilots? I am a pilot so I can imagine how hard it was to judge for the French pilot honestly "did I destroy this C-47 in the air during NOE flight or on the two-point (by main landing gear only) touching the ground?" Wartime is not good time for the idealists however and military PR machine gives sometimes more victories than in fact took place.

Thanks for posting a book text. If I am not mistaken also our forumer Mr. David C. Isby published in his book Capt. John Evans' memoirs related to this flight. He was one of the C-47 pilots attacked then by the D.520s.

Christian-Jacques -- thank you very much for your comment to the D.520 pic.

Best regards

E.