V-1 interceptions !

[topspeed]

Hi !

I'd be glad to know how and who did score the downed Buzz Bombs during BoB.

I start with aircraft types used:

Tempest V
Spitfire XIV
Mustang III
Mosquito
Gloster Meteor

can you complete the list ?

33 squadrons claimed V-1 kills. How many did AAA score ?


rgds,

Juke

[topspeed]

Sorry guys,

I was in a hurry....during 1943-1944 RAF and Allied used 40% of their recce missions to locate V-1 and V-2 installations and launch sites.

Certainly Battle of Britain took place earlier.

Joseph Berry scored 61+1 ( shared ) flying a Tempest. How many Typhoons were scoring V-1:s any data.

Meteors scored 13
Tempests 650
Spits 300

Know more ?


rgds,

Juke

[topspeed]

T-bolts were also used in intercepting the V-1:s


http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/enc...lying_bomb.htm

[Tony Williams]

From 'Flying Guns – World War 2: Development of Aircraft Guns, Ammunition and Installations 1933-45' by Emmanuel Gustin and myself:

"Because of its high speed at low altitude and powerful armament, the Tempest was the best fighter for this work. Four Tempest squadrons operated at day and claimed 653 V‑1s. No.501 squadron was tasked with the extremely dangerous task of intercepting the flying bombs at night and regardless of weather conditions, and claimed another 88. Mosquito nightfighters were too slow to catch up with a V‑1 except in a dive, but nevertheless accounted for 428. For the occasion, their ammunition belts were loaded with tracer rounds, in a ratio of one in four. Normally tracer was not used by British nightfighters, to avoid alerting the enemy, but of course this was no objection in the case of the unmanned V‑1. Early operations brought an unpleasant surprise as the stress of a high-speed dive combined with gunfire caused serious damage to the nose of the Mosquito, which had to be strengthened. Three squadrons of Spitfires Mk.XIV claimed 322 and a Polish wing with P‑51B Mustangs 232. A single squadron of Gloster Meteor jet fighters claimed 13 and various other fighters 158. Another 1460 V‑1s were destroyed by anti-aircraft guns, something which was only possible thanks to the proximity fuse."

Tony Williams: Military gun and ammunition website and discussion forum

[Chris Thomas]

I wish you luck with this one, as sources differ, and no wonder, with guns/balloons and multiple fighter units all making claims ... and how do you add up the fractions etc.

However, 150 Wing Tempests (Newchurch, 3, 56,486 Sqns) appear to have been credited with somewhere between 598 and 623 Divers destroyed (and those figures include one kill by 56 Sqn flying Spit IXs before they equipped with Tempests). However Wg Cdr R.P.Beamont's figure for this (his) unit was 632. To that, for Tempests, you must add 15 for 274 Sqn at Manston and 88 for 501 Sqn Manston and Bradwell Bay, and 86.5 for the Fighter Interception Unit detachment, also at Newchurch. Roughly 800 in all.

Typhoons were not scheduled for anti-Diver patrols - most squadrons were with 2ndTAF providing direct support to the Normandy battle. However one unit of the two still in ADGB, 137 Sqn at Manston, requested permission to join in and were allowed to do so subject their primary duties (anti-shipping in the Channel). They were credited with 30 bombs destroyed, including two with rockets - surely some sort of first! One of these kills was with standard RP as carried by Typhoons - the other with special rockets which were trialled - they had proximity fuses and are believed to be the same as, or modified from, those used in the 'Z' batteries of antiaircraft rockets.

Best of luck with the other types ....

Chris Thomas

[topspeed]

Thanks Chris and Tony !

V-1:s flew 600-650 km/h so it indeed was a difficult for any other than a Tempest V , Spitfire XIV, P-51B or P-47M...Mossie and Typhoon just were fast enuf...

Any exact figure of the T-bolt's V-1 kills ?


rgds,

Juke


I found this pretty amazing:

Seventeen per cent of all flying bombs entering the coastal 'gun belt' were destroyed by guns in the first week on the coast. This kill rate rose week on week to reach 60 per cent by 23 August and 74 per cent in the last week of the month, when on one extraordinary day 82 per cent of all targets available to the guns fell. The kill rate increased from one V-1 for every 2500 shells fired to one for every hundred.

Quite a duck hunt !