Galland vs Göring (according to Speer)

[Oberst]

Wutz.. Intercepting B-17's (Schweinfurt–Regensburg mission) he was bounced by P-47 fighters from the 56th Fighter Group and killed.

[Nick Hector]

Again, if I recall correctly, the incident is also credited as being the first use long-range drop-tanks by the P-47s, thus extending their range to a hitherto unheard-of distance, namely the Belgian frontier.

As for "W of Aachen", what's west of Aachen boys and girls? The bloody Belgian frontier!!!!

Read my lips: P-Fourtyseven Thunderbolts shot down Wutz Galland....

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

Speer in his memoirs - p. 302, 5th edition, 1969 - describes this incident without giving an exact date not naming the type of US fighters shot down near Aachen. Fromt the context it it obvious that it must have taken place around September 1943 and the the reason for it according to Speer was that Galland on this very day had reported to Hitler, that US fighters were shot down near Aachen.

Galland in his Die Ersten und die Letzten - p. 225, Scheekluth special edition, 1970 - states that it took place on the day he learnt about the death of his brother Wilhem-Ferdinand, thus on August 17th, 1943. According to him the roots of this clash went back a couple of months to a meeting between Hitler and him in which Galland had pointed at the enormous potential danger of an extension of the US escort fighters' range to well within the German Reich. A little later Speer had raised this topic too in a conversaton with Hitler. Hitler on the contrary referred to a statement Gögring had made earlier on denying any such possibility. It was when Göring learnt about Galland's and Speer's approach that he got in a rage and tried to reprimand Galland when they met on August 17th, the attempt resulting in the scene vividly described by Speer.

Therefore there can be no doubt that the US fighters in question were P-47s.

Hope this helps. Regards

Jochen Prien

[Nick Hector]

(Walks Doctor Prien over to the bar and buys him a drink...)

[CJE]

Originally Posted by Jochen Prien

Hope this helps.

Yes, it does!
Thanks.

Chris

[ClinA-78]

Hi All,

'Wutz' Galland crashed at Hees (in Belgium), +/- 8 km W of Maastricht (NL). Belgian researcher Rudi Simons can certainly add info's about the recovery.

Best regards

ClinA-78