I/NJG-4 Claim for a P-47-December 8,1944

[kaki3152]

In the "Nachtjagd War Diaries Volume 2-April 44-May 45" by Theo Boiten, there is a claim for a P-47 victory on December 8,1944 by Lt. Helmut Pratorius, Stab I/NJG-4 through a collision. There is no further detail given in the book. No mention in Tony Wood's Abschuss list.

I have found a possible match in MACR 10830 for P-47D s/n 42-27220, 404th FG,508 FS flown by Major Ernest D. Tibbets which was reported missing at 1500 hrs, the same time of the Stab I/NJG-4. In the MACR Major Tibbets is reported to have gone after a "silver colored He-111", quite probably a misidentification of the Bf-110G of NJG-4. A member of his flight saw two planes crash, and Major Tibbets was reported dead by the Luftwaffe authorities.

Anyone know any more about the incident?

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Some details here: http://forum.armyairforces.com/Maj-E...p-m178140.aspx

Here is what is written in the books about Nachtjagd losses by Michael Balss:

Stab I./NJG 4
3 km südwestl. Soest
Feindflug: nein
Ju 88 G-1 Werknr.: 714213
Lt. Helmuth Praetorius gefallen (= KIA)
Fw. Adalbert Meinel gefallen
Uffz. Gotthilf Müller gefallen
Bei Überführungsflug im Luftkampf von P-47 Thunderbolt gerammt und abgestürzt (translation: During an air battle during a ferry flight, was rammed by a P-47 and crashed)

3 km SW of Soest and Werl are roughly the same location:
http://www.maplandia.com/germany/nor...g/soest/soest/