Allied claims 08/02/1945

[focusfocus]

Gauthier's claim on 04/14/45 may be Bf.109 K4,14/JG53,Uffz.Hubertus von Eschwege,shot down unk.place during mission Crailsheim/Rastadt.

In the same fight,GC 2/7 also claimed 3 Fw.190 (Erbach/Herrenberg)....Schlacht Geschwader ?? or a big overclaiming?

Michel

[keith A]

Thanks Michel.

It seems possible that Gauthier could be credited with two more confirmed victories. The Bf109 probable on 8 February 1945 and an earlier claim for a Ju88 damaged on 28 September 1943 which may have been an Me410 lost by 2(F)/122 East of Corsica.

regards

Keith

[focusfocus]

Right
I count 12 victories (7.27,allied system,shared) instead of the 10 generally accepted.

28/09/43
Me 410 of 2(F)/122...possible,but also Ju.88 of Wekusta 26 (Wnr.430 899)

12 victories+2 probables+4 Mig 15 (Egyptians) destroyed on the ground (01/11/1956)

Best Regards
Michel

[keith A]

I have GC2/7 claiming two Bf109 and two Fw190 on 14 April. The first victory is by Capt Jeandet who appears to be the actual victor although his wingman does follow him in the combat. The Fw190 fell near Urach (Bad Urach?). The other victory is a Fw190 shot down into a forest where it crashed and burst into flames (location Herrenberg) by Gleize and Girard. The account does mention another unidentified Spitfire making an attack therefore this could be the same Fw190 shot down by Jeandet. Gauthier then claims a Bf109 which crashes at Erbach (probably Herrenbach). The fourth victory is a Bf109 shot down by Sgt Habert near Ulm. (Source: "Pilotes Francais sur L'Alsace et L'Allemagne" p.556-559)

We could be looking at double claiming but this would not be unusual. The French pilots initially identify thir targets as three enemy fighters and therefore to shoot down four seems...unusual

regards

Keith

[keith A]

I have the Wekusta 26 Ju88D-1 lost on 23 September 1943 (HMAW v.4) and two of it's crew POW. On the 23 September GC2/7 did not fly combat sorties.

Overall the claims of 332 French Wing seem very accurate. In almost all cases their claims match or nearly match Luftwaffe losses.

The French system of sharing victories is probably fair, but in many individual instances including Gauthier it seems to dilute his performance. From my research he was usually the victor in aerial combat, and his wingmen shooting at aircraft that were severely, fatally damaged.

regards

Keith

[keith A]

I should confess that as a Scot, I am a Francophile. The Auld Alliance hold true

[keith A]

Just to correct my earlier assumption about Gauthier and his extra credits, it seems as if the occasional mentions of nine confirmed victories may be correct because the second victory on 24 December 1944 was definitely made by Ltt De Balmain.

regards

Keith