Leutnant Rudolf Dassow - 21 June 1944

[Leo Etgen]

Hi guys

On 21 June 1944, Leutnant Rudolf Dassow (22 victories, RK, killed in action 25 August 1944) of Stab II./ZG 26 was wounded in aerial combat. Would anyone have any information as to the Me 410 that he was flying that day? Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Horrido!

Leo

[Heuser]

Hi Leo,

Me 410 A-1, 3U+MM, 420 509, BF Fw. Martin Schretzenmayer, both WIA, Raum Neubrandenburg.

Regards

Heuser

[Gizmo]

Hauser, did you know what other losses suffered ZG 26 on 20 and 21 June 1944 ?
I know that on 20 June Mustangs pilots of 355th FG claimed seven Me 410s.

[Heuser]

Hi,
yes, but II./ZG 26 only...

a/c losses on 20.06.44:

4./ZG 26: 710 339, 3U+NM, 2 MIA
6./ZG 26: 710 358, 3U+BP, crew bailed out, 2 WIA
6./ZG 26: 420 495, 3U+JP, 1 KIA, 1 WIA (a/c lost?)
6./ZG 26: 420 455, 3U+NP, 1 KIA
6./ZG 26: 710 331, 3U+UP, 2 KIA

There were two additional belly landings after aerial combat, one more BF KIA, and several WIA in various a/c.

t.b.c.

Heuser

[Leo Etgen]

Hello Heuser

Many thanks for your kind reply to my question. Dassow was one of the best Zerstörer aces in Home Defense and your input has helped me add more to what I know of this pilot. Thanks for taking the time to answer!

Horrido!

Leo

[Evgeny Velichko]

Heuser - thx for information!

I see - amazing score of Me410 had II./ZG 26 on 20.06.44!

Stab II./ZG 26 - 4 x B-24 (3 of them by Ltn. Rudi Dassow)
4./ZG 26 - 4 x B-24, 1 x P-51
5./ZG 26 - 11 x B-24 (2 of them by StaKa Oblt. Fritz Stehle)
6./ZG 26 - 7 x B-24, 1 x P-51

Dassow was not the only exellent Viermottoter of II./ZG 26. Stehle was credited with 26 victories, not less than 16 of them were Viermots: 4 х Lancaster, 3 х B-24, 9 x B-17. 7 of his claims were in Me410 with 8./ZG 1 & 5./ZG 26, 4 in Fw190 with 6./JG 6, finally 11 with Ме262 с 2./JG 7, including P-39, shot down on 8.05.45 at 16:30, the last Luftwaffe Abschuss.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Evgeny Velichko

Heuser - thx for information!

I see - amazing score of Me410 had II./ZG 26 on 20.06.44!

Are those numbers just what was claimed at the time or can they be matched with actual USAAF losses?

[Evgeny Velichko]

Hi!

www.armyairforces.com is down, and I cant tell You directly what is percentage of overclaim.

20 june 1944 claimed:

38 x B-24
5 x B-17
18 x P-51
4 x P-47
8 x P-38

[Gizmo]

According USAAF only 17 bombers was shot down by fighters, but next 19 damaged bombers landed in Sweden. ZG 26 losses was also high - 12 Me 410 mainly to 355th FG P-51s (claimed 7 Me 410 and 8 JG 300s Bf 109 with no one P-51 lost).

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by Evgeny Velichko

Heuser - thx for information!

I see - amazing score of Me410 had II./ZG 26 on 20.06.44!

..'only' fourteen 492nd BG B-24s fell to ZG 26 on 20/06/44 - detailed break-down is in Lorant/Goyat JG 300 Vol 1. (four pages of text on this clash)