do217 losses 4.10.43

[keith A]

On this date French P-39s attacked a formation of German bombers (Do217, He111) claiming three shot down at least and two others damaged (one severely). The French unit was GCIII/6 what were the LW units?

regards

Keith

[Chris Goss]

From my book:


Both Gruppe would remain in southern France until mid-November 1943 losing another four Do 217 E-5s and the first Do 217K-3 on operations and in accidents. One of those killed was the newly appointed Kommandeur of II./KG 100 Hptm Heinz Molinnus on 4 October 1943-during an attack on a convoy, II./KG 100 was intercepted by P-39s of GC 3/6 with Adj Albert Le Bras and Adj Gabriel Mertzisen shooting down Oblt Wolfgang Böttger of 6./KG 100 off Cap Tenes, Algeria at 1920 hrs (he and three crew were killed but the Beobachter was rescued from his dinghy nearly four hours later). Whether they damaged the aircraft flown by Molinnus is not known for sure but he and his crew were killed when they crashed on landing at Istres.

[keith A]

Cheers Chris. According to HMAW4 the He111 was from 3./KG26.

K

[keith A]

Oddly enough Cieldegloire has a version that seems to fit what we know (although they give the date as 14.10.43, as does les pilotes de chasse francais).

An He111 destroyed by Mertzisen, another by Sauvage and Colcomb (a second damaged by this pair). A Do217 destroyed by Le Bras, another probably destroyed by Metzisen.

As we know KG26 lost two He111 and KG100 two more (one after escaping with severe damage).

K

[focusfocus]

Sometimes things are hard to understand!

CJE in aero journal n°26,in the history of GC
III/6,he attaches a list of victories:
14/10/43:
Mertzisen=Do.217
Le Bras=Do.217
Sauvage/Colomb=He.111

2 issues later (aero journal n°28),it details the facts but on the date of 04/10/43!!
Mertzisen shot down (bail out) by his victim.
Colomb damaged and injured after hitting a tractor on landing
None of this in MAW vol.4!

Michel

[keith A]

Also confusing is the Ju88 damaged by four pilots of GCIII/6 and GCI/5 earlier that day. Do we know who they were?

HMAW 4 has the French pilots encounters with the He111 and Do217 in a separate entry (Monday-Tuesday 4/5 October 1943) despite these occurring in the evening of 4 October.

K