Who shot down Hptm Rolf Pingel?

[Chris Goss]

Pingel was captured near Dover on 10 Jul 41. Foreman says that he was credited to Smigielski of 306 Sqn at 1040 hrs. However, the Northolt Wing did not get airborne until 1140 hrs, landing 1340 hrs and in any case the Stn diary says: "1 Me 109 was chased and fired at and was originally claimed as destroyed as it made a crash-landing near Dover but investigation proved it had not been hit". Pingel's K Report says he followed a Stirling over the English coast without opening fire and then his engine failed & he crash-landed at 1340 hrs. He says he saw Spitfires but was not sure if they attacked him. Can anyone confirm one way or another-was it 306 Sqn or a rear gunner from 7 Sqn?

[Fairlop]

Chris,

If I remember well one issue of After the Battle magazine (I am off my home and cannot check the number) was describing Pingel´s last flight, and states it was the gunner, not Polish fighter.

Michal

[Andy Saunders]

Chris

In his correspondence to me, Pingel said that he had been hit by fire from a Stirling and I agree that there is something wrong with the timings of the fighter claim.

The article Michal refers to was probably mine (c.1979?) and drew entirely upon what Pingel told me.

I will find and scan his letter for you.

[Andy Saunders]

Chris

In his letter to me Pingel said;

"On this day there was an attack by some four-engined bombers [Stirlings]. I followed one of these big 'planes on its way back to England hoping for a chance to attack. If I was hit by machine gun fire from the bombers or by an English fighter I don't know. Maybe both. My engine then stopped working correctly and the oil and coolant temprature became very hot. I tried to escape close to the ground as I had done before many times. Close to Dover there were many English 'planes. I was still close to the ground when the engine nearly stopped. There was no chance of baling out, so I made a pancake landing."

So, nothing definite I'm afraid.

Nothing helpful in A.I.1(k) Report 398/1941, but I don't have access to 382/1941 which may be more useful?

Who were "the English 'planes close to Dover" ?

Andy

[Stig Jarlevik]

A minor mystery perhaps, but interesting never the less.

Is the time of crash of Pingel British or German time?

He is clearly in the Dover area, where 306 Sq also is on its patrol.

306 Sq time of patrol: 11.40 to 13.40H
Pingel crash: 13.40H (if German time it would then be British time 12.40H and well within the patrol's time frame)

Cheers
Stig

[Chris Goss]

Time of the crash is recorded as British time and as I said in my earlier post, Northolt did not endorse the 306 Sqn claim

[Chris Goss]

Another source has told me that the beam gunner of Fg Off Charles Rolfe's Stirling damaged an enemy fighter in the engine so can anyone add to this?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Chris

Since I tried to be the Devils advocate for a while and failed... , I believe more and more in the Sterling theory being correct.

Strange that Pingel was so evasive in his letter to Andy, but since he was a highly experienced pilot, and memories DO tend to dull with the years, maybe he simply did not want to push the point. Being shot down is after all something you rarely aquire an experience in....

Cheers
Stig