Mustang loss Southern Germany 22 February 1945

[Russell]

Hello to all

MACR 12666 is for

307th FS/31st FG P-51D 44-15355 MX-X on an escort to Munich-Regensburg then to do some strafing, and was last seen above cloud at 48-00N, 12-20E which is north of Amerang well south east of Munich at 1335. Pilot had reported damage from Flak, but element lead could not see any when he checked over the a/c. The a/c then broke up in the air before crashing at Osterbuchberg 5 km SE of Ubersee at 1335- none of which was seen by the Americans as it was below cloud. The German reports attached to the MACR are rather detailed and state a hydraulic oil container was shot through by a 13mm bullet, which they suggest probably wounded the pilot in the upper left leg, the Germans were of the view a/c was shot down by a fighter. F/O Elbert R Averett was KIA. My question is this is one of a dozen or so cases of 15th Air Force fighters possibly shot down by fighters in the area of 8 Jagdivision, from September 1944 onwards, roughly from Munich to Prague and down to Budapest. None of which I can find any German claims for. Any one got any suggestions as to who might be operating in this area between October 1944 and March 1945?. Some training Jagdgeschwader were in the area but no operational units as far as I know. In this case it is quite possible the 13mm hole was caused by Flak or friendly fire while strafing and was the damage reported by Averett.

Regards

Russell