Two Bf109s shot down Italy

[Brian Bines]

On 10th May 1944 242 Sqd RAF were escorting B-25s on a bombing mission to Terni . During the return flight F/Sgt Doherty reported seeing 2 109s and was told to engage them along with his wingman . Both the 109s dropped their belly tanks were chased for 50 miles and were shot down with their pilots baling out . Are any details of the loss of these two 109s known please,

Regards
Brian Bines

[Matti Salonen]

Maybe these:
1944-05-10, 2./NAGr. 11 (NAGr. 11), Bf 109 G-6/U3, 162539, 9 weiße, 14 km nordwestlich Grosseto
Flugzeugführer Lt Cernhoff, Reinhold, verletzt
Luftkampf. Bruch 100 %.
1944-05-10, 2./NAGr. 11 (NAGr. 11), Bf 109 G-6/U3, 410500, 14 weiße, 12 km nordöstlich Grosseto
Flugzeugführer Oblt Scheller, Wilhelm, verletzt
Luftkampf. Bruch 100 %.

Matti

[Stig Jarlevik]

Checking MAW Vol 4 the data simply does not add up

According to the book 242 Sq claimed their two Bf 109 over the Adriatic, quite close to the Albanian coast
since in the list only Albania is mentioned.
These two aircraft were chased north before being shot down

The two 109s lost by Luftwaffe are listed as very close to Grosseto, which is a place quite close to the Italian
west coast, ie nowhere near Albania what so ever.

2./NAGr 11 is supposed to have been based at Littorio (Holm) at this time. I can only find a place called
Villa Littorio on the map which can't be correct since by our date the Allies were already in Rome.
Next stop for 2./NAGr 11 was Trevi, which is more likely so perhaps they moved earlier than Holm lists?
Whatever, I can't really see this German unit fly all the way to Albania and back....

So unless RAF or the Luftwaffe had no idea where they were, something is clearly wrong....somewhere.

Cheers
Stig

[Brian Bines]

Matti many thanks for the information I thought from the mention of drop tanks that they were from a recon. unit .

Stig the best I have from the 242 Sqd. Operations book is that 12 aircraft took off from Poretta Lucciana Corsica as escort to B-25s attacking railway targets at Terni . On the return flight approacing the coast near Albinia the two 109s were first spotted chased northwards and dispatched .

Place names from the Operation Book are difficult to read but that is the best I can make out - see PRO AIR 27-1472-27 . As far as I could see 242 operated from Corsica and then France in 1944 before being disbanded .

Regards
Brian Bines

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Brian

All I can see is that 242 Sq was based at Poretta since 19 April 1944.
I actually thought it was Poretta Terme on the mainland rather than Lucciana on Corsica.
But when you say they escorted B-25 to Terni that now also makes more sense.
What makes no sense at all is that 242 Sq then went on to Albania. It was totally opposite to their
home base!
However returning to Corsica from a mission to Terni would place the unit basically crossing the Grosseto area

Is there possibly a place named Albania close to Grosseto? If so I can't find it.
With your added details, I would say 242 Sq was nowhere near the State of Albania but just
crossing the Italian west coast when they spotted the two 109s

Cheers
Stig

[Russell]

Hi

Sorry to all, Albania is a typo for Albinia which is a town on the west coast of Italy N of Orbetello. Once that got in the text chasing up the Adriatic followed, should be north up the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Apologies.

Russell

[Stig Jarlevik]

Gosh Russell

Thanks for that....and so much for my Italian knowledge of place names.....

Cheers
Stig