P-51s vs FW-190s on 20/1/45 N. of Regensburg

[lolokramp]

Art,

Could you tell us more about your fight against jg300 and your 4th victory ? date ? location ?

cheers

Laurent

[Erich]

Art:

hopeful this will make some sense and I offer this openly for anyone else to come in and add to:

JG 301 during the mission you and your 325th fg was involved had
Stab - (staff) of 5-9 Fw 190A-9's, I. gruppe with 1-4 staffels - (squadrons) with each staffel to have anywhere between 10 and 15 Fw 190A-9's.
II. gruppe with staffels 5-8. 5, 6, and 7 were suppose to have the Fw 190D-9 Dora, the 8th staffel the A-8 and A-9. III. gruppe had staffels 9-12 and with a few Fw 190A-9 but mostly A-8's plus heavier A-8/R2's. the Schwere gruppe ( Heavy Group ), primary mission to attack the US heavy bombers while portions of the I. and II. gruppe were to take on and in this case your 325th fg flying their A-9's and Doras.

A Gruppe could have up to 60 Fw 190's if up to full strength. In the case of your mission explained it probably was considerably understrength due to huge losses encountered against 8th and 15th AF fighter escorts on earlier operations.

For the date given in January of 45 I see no losses of D-9's of JG 301 due to air combat action.

an additional thought - due to inexperience of many of the JG 301 Fw 190 pilots, tight formations were encountered the US fighters easily getting on the tails of the Fw's equipped with drop tanks and shooting them down without Luftwaffe fighters taking any evasive type action. A nasty characteristic often seen in US fighter combat reports for November/December of 44 and it most probably happened in this case of yours Art.

Erich ~

[mayfair35]

Carlos:
Thank you. I wish I had known about this site years ago. I find it extremely interesting.
I thought about putting together a book in the past but I helped Herky Green, the leading ace in the 15th AF until taken off active flight status, and it took us between 2 and 3 years to complete. I do not think I have that much time left plus there are some excellent books like Mustang Ace by Goebel from the 31st FG which is very similar to my experiences. Oh by the way, it is virtually certain he shot down Hartmann near Ploesti. And some of my stories have been published in other books: A Flight Through Time, Fortress Ploesti, etc. Plus there are many other pilots whose experiences are far more exciting than mine. Of course to me, they were the really exciting as my impossible dream had come true: being a fighter pilot! I am sure you completely understand that.
But thank you for the suggestion.
Cordially, Art Fiedler

[Erich]

Art would you be so kind to list the dates of your victories, question as to your number 4 that may have been from JG 300. would like to confirm that if possible with date(s). hope my sentancing was clear in the above posting for you ?

Erich (eke)

[mayfair35]

Hello Again Eric,
Yes I can post my victories and dates:
24 June 1944 1 Me-109 (Probable)(Yugoslavia)
28 June 1944 2 Me-109s (Ploesti)
9 July 1944 1 Me-109 (Ploesti)
26 July 1944 1 FW-190 (Austria)
26 July 1944 1 Me-109 (Austria)
15 Sept 1944 1 Ju-52 (Greece)
12 Oct 1944 1 He-111 (Hungary)
20 Jan 1945 1 FW-190 (Germany/Czechoslovakia)

The 9 July victory over the FW-190 was southwest of Wiener Neustadt in a canyon. I still have the image of the canyon clearly in my mind. An American historian told me it was probably from JG300. I do not know. This was of the most successful and audacious German attack I saw during my combat tour. The 64 FW-190s were line abreast, 8 to a row and 8 rows. They had just come up through broken clouds. The one I got was one of two FWs that were about 2 to 3 thousand feet above the attacking FWs. Great pilots! Better than I, but I had the P-51!
Thank you for your explanation of the makeup of the Luftwaffe organizations we flew against. It seems they had to adapt to the individual situation they found themselves in. I do not recall that we ever had more than 1 type of aircraft in a fighter group. Although we flew 3 different fighters: The P-40 which they flew from an aircraft carrier into North Africa; a transition to the P-47 for escort work; and finally the P-51 for all types of work.
Cordially, Art

[kaki3152]

Art,

I respect your wishes. I would like to say, history forgotten is history lost.
Maybe you could write down some of your more memorable moments in your spare time and publish them on the Web? Just a thought.

I bought a copy of "Mustang Ace" by Bob Goebel when he attended a P-51 fly-in here in Santa Maria and was autographing his books. We had a long talk about the 15th AF and then he asked if I wanted another 31st ace to sign my book. I said sure, and he called Jim Brooks over. Such a deal!

Anyhow,post often.

Carlos

[NickM]

Hey, Art, Eric & Carlos:

You mentioned that Bob Goebel shot down Hartmann near Ploesti; I sort of read the magazine article & I GOT Bob's book but I couldn't quite make out which vic was Hartmann; what was the date of the engagement?

NickM

[Erich]

yes Bob's book is a great read !

Art yes you are correct your 325th fg took on II.Sturm/JG 300 Fw 190A-8's as well as Bf 109G-6's of I./JG 300.
Bf 109G's of JG 27 were also involved as well as 109's of JG 302 and I think a Hungarian 109 unit also took part. ( 26 July 1944 )

I have more, just need to bring up the data on the morrow.......

Erich

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Art Fiedler,

Your comments are amazing, principally on your thoughest fight. There are several "hot shot" specialists here on the Forum, and certainly they will try to trace ( like I am doing ) some of your victories.
They both have reason: ORAL History must be preserved. What you saw and faced will not be ever faced again. I know that there are a 325th FG Association - or someone who cares about its History. I do not know if you recorded your memories on a K7, or CD...but just think that maybe in 50 or plus years, someone will be studying your records, learning both strategical and historical facts and preserving what all of you have done...( maybe the Eisenhower Historical Center would have interest or the Carlisle Barracks ).
I am enclosing more information about JG 300, hope you will like. Yes, they had some "green" pilots, but some "hot shots" too, condecorated with the Knight´s Cross, etc...I will try to identify your victims on the literature I do possess, although I do not have the famous Order of Battles, like many other researchers on this site.
You talk of the P-51 with great affection which it is great to read...You should write, really! Excuse my abuse, but what kind of aircraft you flew on Korea ( F-51, F-86 Sabre ? ) and what was the last plane you flew on the Air Force? We are jus fascinated to hear your histories and glad you joined. Forgive us if we ask so many things...I think you will understand. If you were at our place, talking with Eddie Rickenbacker when you started to fly in the 40´s you would do the same, ask the same things, how it was to fly against the Jerries, etc...
It is really great to hear from you and to LEARN! Have a nice week with my and the friendships of ALL other who read your threads.

Adriano

[Adriano Baumgartner]

PS: Had forgotten to put the sites on last reply...there they are:
www.eagle-editions.com/jg300.htm
www.luftwaffe.be/miajg300.html
www.airpower.at/news04/0531_vyskov/vyskov3a.htm
http://www.luftwaffe.cz/reschke.html
http://www.amazon.com/Jagdgeschwader.../dp/0764321307
You will see the Herr Willi Reschke wrote his own War Memories. I did not read it yet, but it seems very interesting. Hope you will like the sites and books co-related here.
Friendly as ever
Adriano ( from Brazil )