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Allied and Soviet Air Forces Please use this forum to discuss the Air Forces of the Western Allies and the Soviet Union.

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Old 31st January 2007, 12:10
Rob Romero Rob Romero is offline
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Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

There was a spectacular photo of a B-24 flaming out of formation (with its wing coming off?) that had been shot down by a Luftwaffe Bf-109 during the famous 1 Aug 43 strike on Ploesti. This was one of the few Luftwaffe victories in that disastrous stike –most of 55 losses due to Flak. Does anyone know who the victor/victims were? Can anyone post or put up a link?

Thanks,

Rob Romero
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Old 31st January 2007, 15:44
John Beaman John Beaman is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

Are you talking about Eager Eagles, flown by Lt. Lloyd Hughes of the 398th BG? This a/c bombed its target in spite of being hit in the wing tanks by flak (not fighters) and having flames trailing. After coming off target Hughes put it down in a dry creek bed but ground-looped and exploded. In site of this 3 people survived. There is a series of photos in Black Sunday: Ploesti, an excellant history of the mission.
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Old 31st January 2007, 18:30
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FalkeEins FalkeEins is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob Romero View Post
This was one of the few Luftwaffe victories in that disastrous strike –most of 55 losses due to Flak.
Rob,

...according to the JG 4 history, I./JG 4 made at least a dozen claims, IV./JG 27 four claims and another twelve or so claims were filed by Rumanian and Bulgarian pilots..

http://members.aol.com/falkeeins

(updated today)
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Old 1st February 2007, 04:23
Rob Romero Rob Romero is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

John,

No, IIRC the B-24 was shot out of formation over the sea. The photo was published in Ploesti Raid Book -don't remember which one.



FalkeEins,

OK. one of the relatively few Luftwaffe victories that day -the preponderance were still brought down by flak.

Thanks,

Rob
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Old 1st February 2007, 16:30
John Beaman John Beaman is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

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Originally Posted by Rob Romero View Post
John,

No, IIRC the B-24 was shot out of formation over the sea. The photo was published in Ploesti Raid Book -don't remember which one.

Rob
Well, it would have to be on the return part of the mission as no German fighters were encountered over the sea on the ingress. Looking at claims for IV./JG 27, they claimed 5 x B-24s that day over the seas west of Greece and the Balkans on the egress. According to one source that exactly how many B-24s went down over the sea in fighter attacks. BTW, the Gruppe lost 2 x 109s that day in this combat.

If you can reference the photo we might be able to ID the ship. The references I have, have no photos that match your description.
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Old 2nd February 2007, 02:44
shooshoobaby shooshoobaby is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

Rob - sounds like: 6 /16 / 44 Mission to Apollo Oil Refinery.
376th BG B-24 collided with ME - 109 . B - 24s right wing torn off , ball of fire , then exploded. ???????
Mike
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Old 3rd February 2007, 00:21
Rob Romero Rob Romero is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

John,

Sorry, the only thing I can say is that the photo was in what I imagine was one of the earlier books on Ploest -perhaps 60s-70s. I saw it in a school library in the late 80s IIRC.

Thanks,

Rob
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Old 3rd February 2007, 03:08
fsbofk fsbofk is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

I think this might be the photo you're looking for. It is in Ploesti - The Great Ground-Air Battle of 1 August 1943 by Dugan and Stewart, the classic account of Tidal Wave, first published in 1962.
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Old 3rd February 2007, 05:01
Rob Romero Rob Romero is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

Thanks fsbofk!

I knew someone would pull through!

Rob
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Old 3rd February 2007, 23:11
John Beaman John Beaman is offline
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Re: Ploesti Air Combat Photo?

Rob and fsbosk:

In the 1998 edition of PLOESTI, Stewart is the sole list for the copyright. Dugan died in 1967. In the unpaginated photo section, the above photo has a different caption and is identified As Ralph McBride's Here's to Ya. No crew survived. Evidentally some changes in the 1998 edition were made to the original edition's caption.

In Michael Hill's BLACK SUNDAY, published in 1993, the incident is mentioned as McBride's Here's To Ya being shot down by fighters over the Ionian Sea and no one saw any chutes. The aircraft was from the 93rd BG. Hill states in an appendix that there is no definitive, official list of aircraft and crew from the mission. He, with the help of researchers, put together the list of planes and crews in the appendix. Strangely, McBride is not listed in that appendix, but is listed in the flight positions illustration for the 93rd.
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