Night 10-11 January 1944 - RAF/Allied/Luftwaffe operations

[cz_raf]

Hi all, I have anothe long shot which I am not able to puzzle out. So far I do not know if this post belogs here or to the Luftwaffe section.

I have read following note in the No. 19 Group RAF ORB about one of operations carried out during night 10-11 January 1944:
23.30 45°48’ N 08°30’ W contact 2 blips 25 miles – later 3 – Homed for 1 hour – at 600 ft. 3 unidentified A/C seen going into cloud at 500 ft. Contact indicated that A/C were circling. Nothing seen on water.
00.40 44°18’ N 08°15’ W Contact on 3 A/C again – not see, appeared to be circling

Would it be possible to identify those "3 unidentified A/C" or at least to state whether they were RAF/Allied or rather enemies?
So far I was unable to find any info or clue.

My presumption due to the position and fact there were 3 of them is that it would be not RAF/Allied patrol aircraft but some kind of long-range fighter or reconnaissance aircraft, i.e. Beaufighters, Mosquitoes or Ju 88s.

Any ideas or clues please?

TIA

Pavel

[Chris Goss]

Surely 19 Gp would know what other Allied aircraft were operating in their AOR?

[Nick Beale]

Here are two possibilities (times are GMT+1)

[Chris Goss]

These appear to have been lone aircraft not 3 together. I have looked at 10 & 11 Jan 44 and nothing matches for night operations and problem is it would appear they did not have a visual rather radar returns

[cz_raf]

Chris and Nick thank you both for your comments and suggestions.
I agree with Chris that those possibilities offered by Nick does not seems to be the case I am after.
Chris is also right that there were mostly only radar contacts and then once sighting on long distance so no identification was possible.
From the long presence, low height and possibly circling I would guess they were searching for something...
Well seems to me as another mystery hard to solve.



Pavel