F-5 and F-6 losses over Yugoslavia (14-17 October 1944)

[DiegoZampini]

Hi, everybody! :-)
Please be mercyfull, this is my first post in the Forum.
I wonder if somebody knows (or know where to get the information) about F-5 and F-6 (the recce versions of the P-38 and P-51) of the 15th Air Force USAAF lost over Yugoslavia in the period 14-17 October 1944. I'm researching about those reconnoissance aircraft and this is one of the empty gaps in my research.
Thank you very much in advance,
Kind regards.
Diego

[Martin Gleeson]

Hallo Diego,

That will be a very tough nut to crack I fear.

I found nothing on the MACR database on the www.armyairforces.com website. Perhaps try a posting on each of the 3rd PG, 5th PRG and 'Reconnaissance, Rescue and Anti-Submarine' sub-forums. However you will notice that the level of traffic, especially in the first two, is poor.

As far as I can see there are no unit associations for the two MTO Photo Groups or for any of their component squadrons. I have long been interested in these MTO USAAF recce. units, especially the F-4/F-5 squadrons in the Tunisian campaign, but have done no real research on the subject. There are no published histories for either group that I am aware of.

The (limited) American Battle Monuments Commission website has nothing to match either.

Unfortunately I expect the information you want is buried somewhere in the archives of Maxwell AFB, or possibly NARA. Perhaps someone knows more about this - please ?

By the way only very recently did I find your articles about the Soviet pilots in Korea and the North Vietnamese pilots on the American Aces in WW2 website. Easily the best I have read to date on these two fascinating subjects. Well done Diego !

Sorry I could not really help, but good hunting.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello,

Do you have a precise reason to search F-5/6 losses in this precise date over Yugoslavia ? I have nothing for this time and area, only a RAF Mustang III lost on the 16th (of 213 Sqn, pilot returned some days later), but an US aircraft may be lost here in partisan or liberated territory without any trace in MACR, so only unit diaries may prove there was no loss.

An useful website if you don't know it: a list of the air losses over Yugoslavia 43-45
http://mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/...ses/losses.htm

[Schenck]

I didn't find mention of any recce aircraft losses in MASAAF summaries for the given dates.
There were 6 P-38 emergency landings on Vis Island runway on 14th Ocotober. On 16th October 1944, one of the HSLs operated unsuccessful search for a P-38 reported down in sea in vicinity of Vis, it might be in connection to 2 P-38s seen over Vis, one of which with one engine out, both reached Italian mainland safely.