27 Jul 44 Luftwaffe Action in France

[Eagle0025]

Hello all,

On 27 Jul 44, the 474th FG was on a mission to the Saumur-Parthenay-Poitiers-Tours area when they were attacked by a group of Bf109s of an unknown group. The action took place at 10,000 feet over the French town of Vaiges, 10 miles east of Laval. The 428th FS reported being jumped by four Bf109s while the 429th FS reported being jumped by twenty-five plus Bf109s. Time of the incident was 1530 hours. I think the Luftwaffe outfit may have been 2./JG 27, but I am not sure. Can anyone confirm? Thanks in advance.

Cheers, Gary Koch

[BABIN]

Hello Gary,

In his (very interesting) book "La Luftwaffe face au débarquement allié", J. B. FRAPPE wrote that two P 38 were shot down by pilots of 2./JG 27, at 15H32, on 27 th July 1944. Location of the crash : in the Chateaubriant-Craon area... (about 35 km S.W. of Laval). Name of the German pilots : Lt. WÜNSCH and Uffz. BAUER.

These are probably the crashes you search.

Hope this helps

Pierre BABIN

[Eagle0025]

Merci beaucoup, Pierre for your information. All my sources show that only two P-38s were lost on 27 Jul 44 and both were from the 474th FG. I am fairly certain that the JG 27 claims are for these two P-38 losses despite the fact that both P-38s were lost due to a mid-air collision with each other and not due to enemy fire. I have one other concern and that has to do with the location of the actual P-38 crash sites versus the location of the JG 27 claims. I do know from French witnesses in the area that both 474th P-38s did go down very close to Vaiges. I am concerned that the JG 27 claims were made a significant distance from Vaiges. I will keep researching. Let me know if you come across any other sources. Again, Merci Beaucoup for your help!

A bientot, Gary Koch