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  #1  
Old 5th January 2017, 04:58
NickM NickM is offline
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The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Guys:

I am currently reading the third volume of Shores & company's book on the Mediterranean Air War. I recall that the 11/JG26, the geschwader's hohenstaffel was sent to Tunisia & subordinated to II/JG51 and on December 3 1942, a heavy bomber raid caught it on the ground & destroyed with heavy pilot casualties. However, I did not find mention of this event in the book-I even checked volume 2, just in case. So I just wanted to be sure that this took place on December 3.

Thanks, ahead of time.
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Old 5th January 2017, 13:30
Stig Jarlevik Stig Jarlevik is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

This is interesting Nick

Checking Caldwell, he says, like you, the disaster happened on 3.12.1942. However he does not list any relevant losses, either men or aircraft, during December.
Looking at what Group Prien has to say about it, there is a recorded loss of five Bf 109 G due to an Allied ground attack on 25.11.1942 but nothing dated 3.12.42.

Group Prien has done some research and it seems the statement can be traced back to the book written about JG 26 by Josef Priller. However neither Prien et Al can come up with any recorded losses, either of aircraft or men, in December. Since Prien has interviewed Hans-Jürgen Westphal (the St Kap) who could not recall any such incident it feels unlikely to have happened.

Caldwell also has 11./JG 26 as disbanded on 4.12.1942 (ie the day after the 'disaster') with all survivors, men and machines, going to JG 51. A new 11./JG 26 then being formed on 10.12.1942. This is refuted by Prien who says the Staffel was the same, commanded by Westphal at least to the end of the month.

I have not checked the unit any further than this.

I can fully understand that MAW Vol 3 does not mention anything on Dec 3rd but I don't find anything relevant on Nov 25th either.

Cheers
Stig
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Old 7th January 2017, 03:58
NickM NickM is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Of interest on November 26, 1942 is that 5 Me109s (and a whole bunch of Ju 87s) were destroyed on the ground during an attack on their airfield by a US Army tank unit-I think they either shot them up or ran them over;

BTW: I also noticed there is no mention in the main text of the accident suffered by Adolf Dickfeldt when he was in command of II/JG-2.
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Old 7th January 2017, 07:01
Andrew Arthy Andrew Arthy is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Hi Nick,

The American tank raid on Djedeida airfield actually occurred on the afternoon of 25 November 1942.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com/earticles
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Old 7th January 2017, 10:03
Frank Olynyk Frank Olynyk is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

These events are described under the date of Nov 26, 1942 in MAW3 on pages 142 and 143, with the German aircraft losses listed on the bottom of page 144.

I would note however that the US Army official history, Northwest Africa: Seizing the Initiative in the West, discusses this on page 300, under the date of Nov 25. The Army unit involved was Company C (Maj Rudolph Barlow), of 1st Battalion, 1st Armored Regiment (all part of Blade Force). It is truly wonderful to have multiple sources which do not agree with each other!

Enjoy!

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Old 7th January 2017, 10:44
Andrew Arthy Andrew Arthy is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Hi Frank,

You are correct in saying that some secondary sources list the raid as occurring on 26 November, but it is mentioned in the Führer der Luftwaffe Tunis report issued at 02:00 on the morning of 26 November, so 25 November is correct. For those interested, twelve years ago I wrote an article about this raid, which can be found in Word document format here: http://fw190.hobbyvista.com/raid_on_...a_airfield.doc. I have written a longer and much-improved version which will hopefully see the light of day as an eArticle at some point.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com/earticles
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Old 24th September 2017, 20:23
Mark R. Mark R. is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Nick,

The impression I have from my own research indicated to me that the pilots were killed by a bombing raid and not necessarily while manning their aircraft. Losing all those pilots at once suggested their shelter might have been struck by a bomb. I question the 3 December date as that was when USAAF bombers switched from targeting airfields to ports. However on the day (2 Dec 42) prior the below occurred:

An attack by ten Douglas bombers, escorted by four P-38s, bombed Tunis airfield from a height of 1500 meters at 0920 hours. Damage is not yet known. Defense by half battery of heavy and light anti-aircraft guns produced no observed successes. (Frühmeldung des F.d.L. Tunis vom 2.12.42, BA/MA RL-7 31)


1.) [follow-up on morning report] Ten twin-engine aircraft, escorted by four P-38s, attacked [El Aouina airport] from an altitude of 1500 meters (5,000 feet) at 0940 hours. Most of the bombs hit between the administrative buildings and barracks. The bombing attack was followed by a strafing run carried out by three P-38s. 2.) Twelve four-engine aircraft attacked [Sidi Ahmed] airport from an altitude of 500-1000 meters (1,500 to 3,000 feet) at 1125 hours. Most of the bombs hit between parked Ju-52s and the administrative buildings. The bombing was followed by a strafing attack by three Spitfires. 3.) Nine two-engine aircraft, escorted by eight P-38s, attacked [Tunis/El Aouina airport] from an altitude of 1700 meters (6,500 feet) at 1345 hours. Bombs hit outside the airfield perimeter. Damage [for the entire day] included one Ju-52 burned out, four Ju-52s severely damaged. Casualties totaled nine dead and twelve wounded. Runway and buildings were heavily damaged. After the second [1125 hours] attack, the enemy planes overflew the new auxiliary airfield located nearby, opening fire on parked aircraft with on-board weapons. (Tagesabschlussmeldung des F.d.L. Tunis vom 3.12.42, BA/MA RL 7-31).





On 2 December the Germans attacked. The Twelfth Air Force threw all its available aircraft into the struggle. The 15th Light Bombardment Squadron bombed El Aouina at 0810 hours. The 319th Group bombed El Aouina at 1059 hours. Eighteen B-17s of the 301st Bombardment Group struck the airfield and harbor at Bizerte shortly before 1000 hours. (RAF Statistical Report, NW Africa, pp. 104 - 105)


The 301st Bombardment Group carries out a bombing attack against Sidi Ahmed, Tunisia. This is the group’s third attack against enemy targets in North Africa. (http://www.301bg.com/wwii_missions.cfm)


Four B-25C’s of the 379th Bombardment Squadron, 310th Bombardment Group, accompany aircraft from 319th Bombardment Group on a bombing mission against enemy targets near Gabes. (57th Bombwing.com, 310th BG History: Dec 42)


Twelve B-26s of 319th BG (3 – 437th BS, 6 – 438th BS, and 3 – 439th BS) took off on bombing mission against El Aouina airfield. Six P-38s accompanied as fighter escorts. The B-26s bombed the airport and the hangar area and machine-gunned the flak emplacements and machinegun nests near Ariana. Strings of bombs were dropped across southern half of airport. About fifty planes were parked on the airfield. Fifteen or twenty planes were hit. Aircraft on field and hangars were seen burning. Middle hangar was completely destroyed. An explosion in the hangar observed, believed to be unmarked ammunition dump. Machinegun nests at Ariana were strafed. Intense heavy flak in a belt from East to West of airport. Twelve B-26s returned to base, one plane was damaged by cannon shell. Due to damage wheels failed to function and a crash landing was made at home base. The bombardier of this plane was wounded in the leg. Two B-26s were hit by flak with only slight damage done. Two hundred and five 100-lb bombs were dropped on target. Planes landed at base at 1301 hours. (319th BG War Diary, Entry dtd 2 Dec 42, BG-319-SU-RE-D)

Last edited by Mark R.; 25th September 2017 at 04:44.
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Old 25th September 2017, 09:13
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ju55dk ju55dk is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

There is nothing to support the alleged destruction of 11/JG 26 in the GQM-Meldungen about LW losses in men and maschines. I think this is hear say repeated over years in different publications.

Junker
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Old 25th September 2017, 16:12
Dan History Dan History is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Junker, I tend to agree with you that the 11./JG 26 story is a later invention.

Mark, thank you for information about the 2 December raid! Page 168 of MAW Volume III says, inter alia, "Ultra intercepts stated actual losses at El Aouina to be six aircraft destroyed and four damaged".

Regards,

Dan
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Old 26th September 2017, 04:19
Mark R. Mark R. is offline
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Re: The destruction of 11/JG-26 in Tunisia

Would have to agree with Junker in that the chances of all of the fatal casualties from a day's worth of bombing being from the same unit is pretty slim.

Cheers,

Mark

PS - Dan, I just finished the Afghanistan book, all 1300 manuscript pages. :-)
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