American pilot DNB in captured Me-109 Sicily

[Leendert]

This website http://ww2airborne.net/the-battalion...-sicily-1.html says under Oct. 12, 1943 "an American pilot flying a captured Me-109 killed at field near here while landing".

The Parachute Field Artillery Battalion of the report was at/near Comiso, Sicily at that time.

On the USAAF side, the 64th TCG with C-47s occupied Comiso airfield in October 1943.

Not a Luftwaffe expert, the Me-109 perhaps abandoned by JG53.

Any leads to support this accident welcome, and name of pilot the more.

Regards,
Leendert

[RSwank]

Incident is described here, although the date seems to be given as Oct 11. The pilot was from the 340th BG, 487th BS.
http://57thbombwing.com/340th_Histor...ctober1943.pdf

"October 11, 1943
Gloomy Monday. All morning cold rain poured down in torrents. This is a cheerful looking country
only when the sun is shining, when it rains it is quite miserable. No doubt the same can be said for all
countries, our own United States included....We have had two unfortunate accidents the last couple of
days. Saturday, S/Sgt. John J. Mackovich, a crew chief in the 487th squadron, was accidentally shot and
killed by a squadron mate who was examining a Beretta pistol. Today 2nd Lt. Arthur J. Hover, 487th
pilot, was killed at Comiso airdrome, Sicily, where he was attempting to land a Messerschmitt 109, a
captured German plane put in shape by Lt. Hover and Lt. James O'Neill of the same squadron.
Witnesses said Lt. Hover was coming in for a normal landing and actually got both wheels on the
runway when the tricky plane flipped on its back."


https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/...r-george-hover

[Leendert]

Thanks, Rolland, for quick reply!


This was certainly not the last accident for Allied pilots in captured airplanes...


Regards,
Leendert

[kaki3152]

Nor the last in a Bf109

440112 Me-109 65FS ,57FG 12AF KBO 5 Gohman, Harold R Italy, Amendola Landing Ground.

KBO=killed, bailed out