Friendly fire WWII

[Nokose]

27Jul41 two SB's of the 202 BAP had made a recon. mission into Finland. On return NW of Vyborg they were attacked by MiG3's. Mayor Sergei Petrovich Sennikov made a force landing. Lt Fedurkin was killed but his crew parachuted to safety.

[Brian]

Many thanks Nokose, another new incident for my collection. I have to admit that I am 'light' on Eastern/Northern Front friendly fire incidents, so would be pleased to learn of any others.

Cheers
Brian

Hi:

I'm trying to get more information on the following incident.

On July 20, 1943 three P40s of the USAAF strafed a Canadian Army site near Leonforte Sicily. A number of vehicles were destroyed, one Canadian killed and a number wounded. After suffering multiple attacks, the Canadians fired back, bringing down two of the P40s.

Would you have any information as to what unit the P40s were from and the fate of their pilots?

Thanks
Murray

[Nokose]

08Jun44 St. Lt. Vaslii Ivanovich Arkhipov (8 victory Ace) of the 18 GIAP was returning from an attempt to intercept a FW-189. Lt. Maurice Challe of Groupe Normandie attacked the two Yak's approaching him head on believing they were German. The second attack by Challe brought down Arkhipov's Yak which resulted in his death.

[kolya1]

I don't know if this has been mentioned before but :

On 22/06/1941 : A. I. Pokryshkin (55 IAP) mistakenly shot down a Su-2, the Su-2s were unknown to the MiG-3 pilots of 55 IAP, and they at first didn't see the red stars.

Pokryshkin damaged one with a burst of machine-gun fire, but while turning away to reposition himself he remark the red stars on the light bombers, he then stopped the attack and gave warning to his wingmen by waving wings and firing short bursts in front of them.

The damaged plane force-landed and one crew member was wounded.

Even if this event was thereafter used against him by officers with which he had conflicts several times in 1941-1942, he wasn't charged nor sentenced as the crew of the Su-2 survived (all the more so in the confusion of 22/06/1941).

[Brian]

Nokose and Kolya1 - many thanks for these - my collection of Eastern Front friendly fire incidents is far from complete. They all help fill the gaps, keep them coming, please.

Murray - I can't answer your query but will keep searching.

Cheers
Brian

[Juha]

Hello Brian
Cheers in Finnish, most usual expression maybe is Kippis.

It seems that there were no more fatal friendly fire cases or cases which caused bale-outs in FAF. Of course there were also friendly fire cases which caused only damage.

Have You interests on more details on Nissinen’s “victory” over LW’s Ju 188 on April 44? I assume that Your info on that is from the tread in Finnish Air Force in World War II site.

Juha

Dear Brain,

From the book, "Listen To Us", aircrew memories by the Aircrew Association of Canada, Vancouver Island branch, 1997, ISBN 0-9698699-4-0, pp-342-343, detailing recollections by Bill Shankland:

"When Bill left 407 Squadron he was posted to 1401 Meteorological Flight at Bircham Newton, flying Gladiators--biplanes, no less, but a delight to fly. One of the other aircraft on the station was a Spitfire V-D which sported only a small roundel and had no armament except a Very pistol and a Cambridge therometer. Having the range to go to Berlin and back, it was used to take photographs of Bomber Command targets for the coming night. The squadron also had a Blenheim Mark IV which flew out for 300 miles over the North Sea on a bearing of 030. Unfortunately a Whirlwind mistook it for a Ju88 and shot it down..."

Do not know if you are familiar with this incident?

Norman Malayney

[Six Nifty .50s]

That sounds like the end of Blenheim V5568 of the 1401 weather flight, last seen on 27th May 1942. Reputedly shot down in error by an RAF Whirlwind pilot from 137 Squadron. Flying Officer Marshall, Sergeant Thimblebee, and Sergeant Gray were never heard from again and reported MIA.

Found it in Graham Warner's fine study from Crécy Publishing. Unfortunately there were many known losses of Blenheims to own fire; I will list the whole lot when I finish reading it.

[Csaba B. Stenge]

My forthcoming book in this autumn, the 1/3. FS history will contains 3 friendly fire accidents as well (one was serious with a crashed plane and one KIA)