Luftwaffe Fighter Losses 12 Jun 44

[Chris Goss]

On the afternoon of this day, 131 and 616 Sqns attacked Le Mans and Laval claiming 3 Bf 109s (one in a collision) and two Fw 190s. I know this was a busy day but any ideas who their opponents were?

[Nick Beale]

From my website this may answer the Laval part of your question at least:

The Gruppe’s diary [i.e. III./SG 4] gives this account of the day’s abortive operations:

06.35 hrs. [GMT+2] Operation with four machines against landings near Riva Bella. Target not reached, bombs jettisoned in emergency. Obfw. Schopper made an emergency landing. Supply operation was to have taken off for Luftwaffe strongpoint Douvres. At take-off all four Fw 190 destroyed in strafing by eight Spitfires. Two fighters (Bf 109) shot down. After that “stand down”.

The above was presumably a more considered assessment than the signal sent at 13.00 hrs. Laval had been attacked 45 minutes earlier by an estimated 20–25 Spitfires, costing the Gruppe two more Fw 190s destroyed, two damaged and one man wounded. Since the aerodrome was "plastered with bombs" it was no longer possible to supply Distelfink at Douvres. (At Alençon-Essay, II./JG 1 had fared even worse, losing nine aircraft burned out in a low-level attack).

NOTE: The two Bf 109 reported shot down may have been from JG 27 which lost Ltn. Horst Grimm of the 1. Staffel (Bf 109 G-6, W.Nr. 165155) and the 2. Staffel’s Fw. Gustav Sturm, killed and wounded respectively near Laval.

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Nick. I wonder if Sturm collided with Harrison of 616 Sqn as 616 Sqn stated the Bf 109 pilot baled out and was seen to land safely. Grimm came down at Entrammes which is SE of Laval. BTW Moody of 131 Sqn was a victim of Flak over Le Mans not fighters as previously thought