Eastern front Bf 110 loss

[Jan Gazda]

Does anybody have info on Eastern Front losses of Bf 110 on 8 April 1942 near Murmansk? Four Hurricanes and two Tomahawks of the 20 GIAP reported fight with a formation of 15 Ju87s escorted by a Bf110s and later also with some Bf 109s. Seems that the Ju87s belonged to I/StG5 and the Bf 110 to 10.(Z)/JG5. The Soviets reported five victories against one loss with three of the victories being achieved through air ramming (amazingly, two of those rammings carried out by one pilot, St.Lt. Khlobystov).

Thanks in advance

Jan

[John Beaman]

Bf 110E-2, 4114, Koch, Ltn. Karl-Friedrich (F)/n.n. (Bf), 10./(Z)JG 5, LN+FR, 08-Apr-42, Both reported lost after Luftkampf. Notlandung. Returned 9.Apr., Finnland, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #5)-Vol.8; Prien, et al, Die Jagdfliegerverbände, IX.3, p.503; Valtonen, LW Pohjoinen Sivusta, p.366, südöstlich Petsamo

[Jan Gazda]

Wow, that was quick, thank you very much

Jan

[odybvig]

Hello
Acording to the War Diary (KTB) of Luftflotte 5, one Bf 110 was lost and 1 Mig and one Hurricane was shoot down.

Who should we belive in this case

Best from Norway
Olve

[Jan Gazda]

Olve,

do you know the name of German pilots that made claims? I was able to find only Weissenberger´s claim on Mig, who was the other one?

Jan

[Ota Jirovec]

Ahoj,

Ofw. Willi Pfränger of 6./JG 5 claimed a Hurricane over "Motowski" on 8 April 1942, time unfortunately not given.

Source: Jagdfliegerverbände der Deutschen Luftwaffe, 1934-1945, Volume 9/III by Prien et al.

Hope this helps,

Ota

[Jan Gazda]

Ota,

thanks, it looks like Pfränger was also engaged in the same fight because Kpt. Pozdnyakov (the sole victim on Soviet side) was reported killed in fight with Bf 109. Actually he was reported to collide with his opponent in the course of a head-on attack but it seems more likely that his Tomahawk disintegrated under Pfränger's fire and his comrades misinterpreted the explosion as a collision of the two fighters (although this is just a speculation)..

Jan

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi

Interesting to note that one of the pilots claimed two aircraft by Taran attack and still made it back to base...

What kind of aircraft was he flying, Jan?

Regards,
Andreas B

[Jan Gazda]

Hi,

he was flying P-40B with a fuselage number 58 and there is a well-known photograph of him and his aircraft after the fight. Obvoiusly two tarans did not seem enough for him because on May 14, 1942 he was involved in another one and survived once again. This time he was flying P-40 E No.812 and he collided in the course of a head-on attack with a Bf 109. Miraculously, he was thrown out of his machine by the explosion.
The Curtiss fighter proved to be fateful to Khlobystov because he finally met his destiny in P-40 E No.1134 when he was shot down together with his wingman Lt.Kalegaev by a rear gunner of a German reconnaissance aircraft on December 13, 1943.

Jan

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Jan

Was he operating in the same area for the May 15th 1942 Taran?

Regards,
Andreas B