Pilot Horst Rippert claimed Saint Exupéry : 31 July 1944 / 15 March 2008 !

[Nick Beale]

Lino von Gartzen, the man who got the story from Rippert, has contacted me and I've added his comments to the article on my website.

I'm not announcing "mystery solved" just yet, though!

[Jan Bobek]

I wonder if anyone has seen the "Pradell book" yet?

[Nick Beale]

In the article on my website, I've now added added extracts from the Missing Air Crew Report on Lightning pilot, Lt. Gene C. Meredith, who was shot down on 30 July 1944.

P.S. the Pradel/Vanrell book is now being advertised by la Maison du Livre Aviation in Paris.

Yours for 20€ (14 x 22 cm format, 190 pages, 21 b/w and colour photos)

[Guy JULIEN]

Two bogeys were reported at 11.30 near Manosque on the 31st of July of 1944 by French P-47's pilots. Were theses bogeys german fighters? I think so, what else ? They flew to the east climbing from 20 000 Ft to 26 000 Ft . That means they were at the rigth altitude, on the right time, and at the rigth place to intercept Antoine de Saint-Exupery the F-5B.
But in My knowledge there is no evidence about an interception or a claim...

Guy

[George Hopp]

To me it sounds like Saint-Ex's oxygen system went on the fritz, otherwise there would have been some call from him.

[Nick Beale]

My own (evidence-free) theory about Rippert is that he may have been Fw. Guth's wingman during his successful interception of a Lightning on 30 July. Sixty-four years later, an imperfect memory might easily have turned that into his current recollection of events the following day.

[George Hopp]

That reason sounds about as good as any we are liable to get.

Thanks for your superb write-up of the material on the Saint-Ex loss story. You always do a great job, Nick!

Best wishes,
George