August 1944 - Strafing onto Szombathely / Steinamanger

[Henofred]

Hi/Bonjour,

I am looking for the fighter(s) unit(s) which strafed the airfield at Szombathely, Hungary (Steinamanger at the time) on 22 and 28 August 1944. Found this excerpt in "Das Kriegstagebuch des NJG 6" by Werner Koch (Eigenverlag-Wittmund, 1996): […] 22-08-1944 During daylight incursions in the Vienna area, 6 Mustang strafed Steinamanger airfield with their on-board weapons. One Junkers Ju-88 and one Messerchmitt Bf-110 were destroyed and six other Junkers Ju-88 or Messerchmitt Bf-110 were damaged.[…]

Best regards,
Frederic

[HGabor]

No info on the U.S. fighter-unit, but the Royal Hungarian Police reported this incident on August 22, 1944:

"12:20PM, Szombathely: 4 (SIC!) strafing American fighters with incendiary rounds have destroyed 4 German fighters (SIC!) on the airfield, which burned out."

The given local time might help to identify the attackers.
Gabor

[Henofred]

Thanks for this good info Gabor, the local time can help.

I have done some research of my own for this date. That day, two attacks in the vicinity of Vienna: the Lobau oil storage facility and an oil refinery at Korneuberg with three Fighter Groups for the cover of bombers (Lobau: 1st and 14th FG on P-38s – Korneuberg: 332nd FG on P-51s). The only one fitted with P-51s machine is the 332nd FG, so it could have been fighters from that Group that attacked the airfield. But at the moment, it is just an assumption...

Best regards,
Frederic

[CENTURION]

Hello Frederic,
accordig to "Spitfires and Yellow Tail Mustangs", seven P-51s of 4th Fighter Squadron (52nd FG) engaged fifteen Me109snorth-west of Ostrava and Lt. Don Stinchcombe claimed two of them shot down. After this encounter, Stinchcombe's flight retured but, as they were nearing the airdrome at Sombatheley, they noticed about fourty aircraft packed on the field and Lt. Bill Hanes gave the order to attack." During three passes across the field the four Mustangs saw numerous strikes on at least 18 aircraft, eight of which were already burning hulks as the P-51s departed the scene ".
Hope this helps.
Best regards.

Marco

[Henofred]

Great!

Oh yes, that helps! We have our FG for that day.

Thank you Marco, much appreciated.

Best regards,
Frederic

[Dénes Bernád]

A beautiful quality photo (the photo itself is not beautiful, but the contrary) of the bomb run of Szombathely, in 1945: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/-ckAA...wF/s-l1600.jpg

[Henofred]

Hello Dénes,

Yes, a nice picture of the bombardment of March 4, 1945 taken by a plane of 464th BG. Thanks for sharing.

Best regards,
Frederic

[HGabor]

Yes, a f.....g nice picture. Just like these ones...
Gabor

[Henofred]

Hello Gabor,

I was talking about the picture, not about the consequences. War is never nice or beautiful, no matter where or what country is affected.

Best regards,
Frederic