GC II/4 two losses on the 10.05.40

[robert]

Hi,


I`m looking for details of an air combat in which two Curtiss losses on the 10th May were reported:
- GCII/4 No. 138 pilot KIA Padoux [88]
- GCII/4 No. 69 pilot WIA Epinal [88] - I think this plane returned damaged.

TIA

Robert

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hi!
Can you mention the hour they were shot down? It would be easier to search? By the way, try to find out on Tony Wood´s claims list ( you probably already did that, but...)

[robert]

Hi Adriano,

I don`t have a time of this combat. And I think it was clash with german bombers so....Perhaps someone would have additional information`s.

Regards

Robert

[Petitpoucet]

Hi Robert;

At about 15h00 in France, the two Curtisses (3ème escadrille, "diables rouges") were shot down by some Messerschmitt 110's. N°138 was lost with S/Lt Tixier (KIA), and Curtiss n°69 with S/C Ballin, wounded, who bailed out near Epinal.
At the same time, six pilots of the "4ème escadrille" ("Petits Poucets" ...) were engaged with Heinkel 111s of the 9/KG 55 (one claim).

Regards

Petitpoucet

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hi Robert,
What I found on Tony Wood´s claim list:
Oblt Wolfgang Lippert .3/ JG 53 claimed a Hawk75-A, SE Metz at 13:53hs ( Reference Prien´s Book about JG 53 )
Fw. Stefan Litjens of .4/ JG 53 claimed a Hawk 75-A, near Metz at 15:25hs ( Reference Film C 2035/II VNE:ASM )

Will try to have a careful look at the books of PRIEN, ok? Will return in a later postage. Hope this helped also...
Unfortunately we did not know which Squadron of BF 110 claimed the two Curtisses of GC 3 as posted by Petitpoucet..

We will continue later...

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Only incomplete data on GC II/4 this day in Gillet's books 'Les victoires de l'armée de l'air' and Martin's "Ils étaient là"

Martin said:
"Taking off in the afternoon 4 Curtiss H-75 of GC II/4 entered battle over Luneville with bombers protected by Bf 110s. Lieutenant Raymond Tixier-Vignancourt was killed at the start of the fight. His Curtiss n° 138 crashed in flames at Padoux, south of Rambervillers. The pilot was buried in Padoux, Vosges. He was 27 years old (born on 29 Dec 1912). His aircraft (Curtiss n° 69) also on fire, sergent Ballin bailed out and landed near Epinal. Badly burned, he was sent to Epinal hospital.
During another mission, the Curtiss (serial unknown) of sergent de La Chapelle was hit numerous times by the return fire of a He 111 gunner and crash-landed on Epinal airfield. The fighter was destroyed, the pilot unhurt"

Gillet said that sergent-chef (note higher rank) de La Chapelle attacked at 14h55 bombers of III./KG 55 and shot down the He 111 G1+DT of 9./KG 55 at Luvigny (2 POW: Lt Günther Trosly (observer) and Uffz Franz Stratmann (pilot). 3 KIA: Gefr Georg Kaschischke (Bf), Gefr Helmut Rohloff (Bm) and Flg Nikolaus Merkler (Hecksch)). He was effectively hit numerous times as he attacked at very close range. Losing many oil and with no more ammunition he broke contact and landed on Epinal airfield with two bullets in the engine and a punctured tire.

There is no clue in these two books when the two Curtiss 69 and 138 were lost and against who or what. Also I'm not sure at all that the Curtiss of La Chapelle was destroyed.

The two other losses may have fallen to Bf 110s but claims of ZG units are not well documented for this period AFAIK.

Hope it helps

Laurent

[robert]

Hi Laurent,


yes it helps. I have Gillet books and I`m aware about the fate of La Chapelle but there is no information about this second clash.
@ Petitpoucet,

many many thanks for you help!

@ Adriano

like you see the life is not so easy! Tony Woods list has a many, many gaps!

Regards

Robert

[Dan Gilberti]

The Sergent Albert de la Chapelle was Killed in accident during training flight with his P-47 am 22 january 1945 near Tavaux in France, he was in GC I/4 Navarre.
So, i'm allways in searching about datas about him ..
http://www.histavia21.net/HISTAV2/Chaineecoup-2.jpg

Bsrg Dan

[Petitpoucet]

All informations i gave come from GC II/4's official archives. And it says they fought against Me 110s.
But i did not find any Luftwaffe's claim that could correspond.
Epinal is located at the SE of Metz, so perhaps Adriano is right with Wolfgang Lippert, with a Curtiss claimed at 13h43.

Sgt de la Chapelle was flying n°146 and had to land it at Epinal's airfield. This aircraft, damaged, was sent to Toulouse's AIA ("Atelier Industriel de l'Air") after this mission.

Regards

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Lippert probably shot down Cne Astier of GC I/8 who was killed in a Bloch.

No idea who Litjens claimed, but all sources agree that GC II/4 was in battle against bombers and Bf 110.