02Apr45 USAAF & VVS dogfight

[mayfair35]

Nokose, I do not know what happened to the Russian aircraft but I have an expanded version of the 325th FG mission on 2 April 1945 (actually 2 missions were flown that day) and I think you can clearly rule out the 318th pilots as being involved with the Russian a/c.
The 318th lost 2 aircraft that day and another 2 had to land at friendly fields for some reason. One P-51 was lost while strafing a truck in a hilly area and failed to pull out of his dive in time, hit the trees and exploded. The other P-51 with three other 51s were chasing German aircraft and Lt Paul Murphy flew in front of a P-51 which was firing at a German a/c. His aircraft was hit, friendly fire, and he was escorted to a Russian held airfield at Kasposvor, Hungary. That is why 4 P-51s failed to land at home base.
The 318th incident time seems to be several hours later although I can only indicate what time our planes reported attacking 15 German a/c. The time was 15:10 hours which would be Italian time at our home base. 8 Me-109s and 7 FW-190s were observed heading east at 14,000 feet by 4 P-51s . The P-51s attacked, the e/a went into a Lufbery, 3 were shot down at which time the rest broke and headed for the deck in all directions. The official report is confused as to what type of a/c were destroyed. It shows Mc Donald with "2 Me-190s" and Amedro with "1 Me-190". I have no idea if it was 109s or 190s that were destroyed.
Cordially, Art Fiedler, mayfair 35 (MY WW2 call sign)

[Nokose]

Art, Thank you for your reply. It is good to read a reply again on this board from you.

[RedOctober1984]

I never was aware that there was a USAAF-VVS Dogfight....

I guess you learn something every day.

[GMichalski]

hi,
in stalin eagles you find other combat usaaf vs vvs:
07.11.44

60 P-38 of the 82FG attack ground targets along roads from Sjenica to Novi Pazar, Raska and Mitrovica in Yugoslavia. Due to navigation error they attacked General GP Kotov´s Corps advancing towards Belgrade in the vicinity of Nisch, NW Sofia. General Kotov and other men were killed before General VA Sudets gave free reign to alert flights of Yaks of 659IAP under the leadership of IA Koldunov. In the combat usaaf lost 3 fighters and soviets lost 2 pilots kia and one more bail out.....

regards

[HGabor]

A La-7 pilot (Kozhedub???) also downed a 15 AAF P-51 (332nd FG?) over Germany. Have no time and can't remember the details now.

[GMichalski]

Hi,
take a look

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=5239

regards

[newcomer]

In first edition 'P-38 in action' wrote that USAAF lost two P-38 in clash over Serbia in 1944. In second edition that losses simply ommited. Not only P-38 taken part in attack to soviet column when soviet general were killed. Eye-witnesses also mentioned two-engine bomber. They didn't mixed with P-38 as they clearly described P-38 as twin-boom aircraft.

In report of Yugoslav political comissar of Nish airport, after that air battle, wrote that Yugoslav buried 14 americans airman! Amongst soviet KIA pilots, was one women. Soviet pilots buried in the city of Nish, and got the monument, which with flower decorated from yugoslav airman on every aviation day up to 1948. After that, Tito split from the Stalin and the monument dissapeared. Americans picked up the remnants of his airmen in 1946.

kind regards

Newcomer

[HGabor]

If so, then deads from OTHER events were buried TOGETHER with the dead of this particular AAF vs. VVS incident. Especially if one was a woman. Clearly no woman in THIS incident. Names are recorded plus male regiments were involved only. Story can be partially true, like common burial, etc.

[newcomer]

Hi Gabor,

no, as I understood from documents and eye-wintesses, they buried separately.

The women pilot remembered by the men in which house in Nish that women temporarily lived. His name is Dragoslav Dimic. He was a member of Nish aeroclub after WWII, and he was amongst the member of the aeroclub who decorated monument/grave of soviet pilot in the center of Nish. Mr Dimic, also became glider pilot and aeroplane pilot, graduated as aviation engineer and worked in SOKO - Mostar and Utva aviation factories. He was also aviation constructor and designed light sport plane Utva-75.

kind regards

Newcomer