Luftwaffe losses on 4.9.1941 on the West

[cz_raf]

Hi all,

I am trying to verify a claim by Oto Hruby from 111 Sq on this date.

From great list by Tony Wood I have:

RAF 11 Group Circus 93: Power-St. MARZINGARBE
16.00: RAF 2 Group 12 Blenheim IV
(1 Blenheim IV lost)


RAF 11 Gp. 111 Sqn. 12 Spitfire Vb 15.35-17.30 Circus 93 1 - 1 - 1 Me 109F 1 Cat.3m Fighters L-BS: Marzingarbe

Cat.3m 04.09.41 Sgt. T.R. Caldwell: ASR 11 Group 111 Sqn. Spitfire Vb: W3451 Channel

Claim 04.09.41 Pilot 11 Group 111 Sqn. 1 - 0 - 0 Me 109F 16.15: Pas-de-Calais
Claim 04.09.41 Pilot 11 Group 111 Sqn. 0 - 1 - 0 Me 109F 16.15: Pas-de-Calais
Claim 04.09.41 Pilot 11 Group 111 Sqn. 0 - 0 - 1 Me 109F 16.15: Pas-de-Calais

Hruby claimed the first victory, 1 - 0 - 0 Me 109F 16.15: Pas-de-Calais.

Would be possible to find out the unit he was fighting with plus if there was really any loss on German side?

TIA

Pavel

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Pavel

I would think that the Luftwaffe opponents that day were JG 26. A quick look through the records I have did not show any combat loss for JG 26 although there was a Fw 190 A-1 of II./JG 26 that suffered undercarriage damage (10%) at Moorseele airfield. Hopefully someone else can comment or correct this.

Horrido!

Leo

[Bas Maathuis]

Pavel and Leo,

The book "The JG 26 War Diary" Vol.1 by Donald Caldwell agrees with Leo.
But Caldwell claims that JG 2 was involved in this fight also.
I've got no further data on JG 2, but it's worth a shot...

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Bas

Thank you for your comments. I can add that JG 2 lost the following fighters that day:

Bf 109 F-2 (W.Nr. 12 663) of I./JG 2 due to tecnical defect (100%)
Bf 109 E-7 "White 15" (W.Nr. 6517) flown by Gefreiter Günther Irmler (missing) of Erg.Gr./JG 2 due to enemy aircraft in the Cap de la Hague area

I have no idea if the latter loss was in the same air battle but from the location the possibility would appear remote. III. and Erg.Gr./JG 2 were involved with Whirlwind and Hurricane fighters over Cherbourg before the other engagement occurred.

Horrido!

Leo

[Chris Goss]

Nothing else JG 2-wise and the Erg/JG 2 loss was way west and not due to combat. However, II/JG 2 reported combats with Spitfires 1730-ish at about the times you quote claiming 4