Details 9-10 August 1944 Ploesti raid (205 Group)

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

I am currently trying to complete the narrative in the NJWD 2nd edition for 9-10 August 1944, the 205 Group attack on the Ploesti Romana Americana oil refinery, when 11 ‘heavies’ were lost.

One of the German victory claims is the following:

Ofw. Karl Maisch: 7 2./NJG100 Lancaster NW Lom: 3.000 m. 00.20 Note: victory confirmed on 12.1.1945

I can't seem to find a place called 'Lom' in Rumania; who can help, and which loss on the Ploesti raid could be tied to this claim?

What would be of special interest in this respect is the extract on 9-10 August 1944 from Patrick Macdonald’s Through Darkness to Light; who can help me with scans of the pages for this night?

Cheers, Theo

[researcher111]

Theo ,

Nice to see you again on the Romanian skies of WWII , I appreciate your continous interest of the Romanian air campaigns in WWII. Years ago, I was in touch with Patrick who gifted me with the book in J'berg . Tell me the page number ,then will be glad to scan it for you mate however got tight flight schedule and may take sometime before getting this job done for you .

BR
Alex K

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The book "La chasse de nuit germano-roumaine", de Roba et Craciunoiu, assumes that the LAncaster claim was for one of the two Halifaxes of 614 Sqn lost that night, and links one of these losses, JP282, to Bauer (6th victory), so proposing Maisch for the other loss, JP110, that crashed at "Ciscauti", identified par P McDonald as "Ciocanesti". The book says that it is at some distance from the claim location given by Maisch, so the authors seem to have been able to find a location or area called Lom.

[researcher111]

Theo

11 heavy were lost ? where , when and how ? 205th lost 10 bombers out of which also
a B-24 ,5 crashed on known Romanian locations, one Romanian location unknown
2 in Bulgaria, one landed in Turkey and one crash landed somewhere in Serbia .

As into known Romanian locations one near lake of Snagov / Bucharest , near military
academy at Cotroceni Buc, at Corbi Mari , at Caciulati ( perhaps Ciocanesti ) and Ruda .

I have no idea about what Maisch is claiming and where .

Alex K

[udf_00]

Near the Danube there is a Lom in Bulgaria, approx. 120 Km North of Sofia.

Seems a pair of Wimpys were lost near the Danube, approx. same place, approx. same time.
http://www.aviationarchaeology.org.u...sqn_losses.htm

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks chaps for your helpful replies -it does appear that Maisch actually destroyed the 142 Squadron Wellington near Lom, both the time and location make a match.

Alex: if you would be able to send me the scans sometime later this week, that would be great!

Cheers, Theo

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Originally Posted by researcher111

11 heavy were lost ? where , when and how ?

According to the book "La chasse de nuit germano-roumaine", even if from Theo's replies this book is not 100% error-free, the Allied losses during this night were the following.

Eight Wellingtons:
LP465, 37 Sqn, Cotroceni, Romania, 5 KIA. Cause?
LP540, 37 Sqn, Alemdagh, Turkey. 5 Interned. Damaged by a night fighter, achieved by Turkish AA fire
LN963, 70 Sqn, Caciulati, Romania. 5 KIA. Cause?
MF421, 70 Sqn, Yugoslavia. 5 evaded. Cause?
MF631, 142 Sqn, Orac, Romania. 5 KIA. Cause?
LP548, 142 Sqn, northern Bulgaria?. 5 KIA. Cause?
LN972, 142 Sqn, Bulgarian-Romanian border, 5 POW. Night-fighter
LP507, 150 Sqn, Dobotesti, Romania. 4 KIA, 1 POW. Cause?

One Liberator: EV974, 178 Sqn, Romania? 1 DOW, 5 POW. Flak, possible night-fighter

Two Halifaxes:
JP282, 614 Sqn, Corbi Mari, Romania. 6 KIA, 1 POW. Cause?
JP110, 614 Sqn. Ciscauti/Ciocanesti, Romania. 1 KIA, 5 POW. Night-fighter
+ 4 men of another 614 Sqn who baled out from their damaged aircraft that then managed to return to base.

Of these 11 losses, three had survivors and no loss cause given by the book: MF421, LP507 and JP282. Evasion/liberation reports may provide more details.

[researcher111]

If I may add, Craciunoiu / Roba's publications are rather as close as it can get ,
McDonald's publication is a good base to start with ,though subject to lots of
updates. 100 % accuracy would be a surviving crew member .

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks Laurent and Alex for providing additional details; useful indeed! Cheers, Theo