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  #1  
Old 25th April 2006, 11:48
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Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

On 24 March 1945 a flight of Mustangs of the 369th FS of the 359th FG bounced fifteen Bf 109s that were setting up a landing pattern over Eiklon airfield. In the one-sided battle, thirteen of the 109s were shot down with the other two being damaged.

The victories were awarded to:

Capt. Collins William F 2
1st Lt. Kelly Dale E 1.5
1st Lt. Lancaster Robert T 2
2nd Lt. Mcgehee Fred S 2
Maj. Parsons James W 1
1st Lt. Tenenbaum Harold 1.5
1st Lt. Thomson Bryce H 1
Capt. Thomson Robert C 2

Does anybody have any information of the Luftwaffe unit involved in this slaughter?
Also I didn't manage to find any information on the airfield mentioned.
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Old 25th April 2006, 19:32
odybvig odybvig is offline
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Hello

These 13 kills are not mentioned in the Luftwaffe loss lists (Gen.Qu.6 Abt.)

These A/C are listed for that day

24.03.1945 III./J.G.11 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 491475
24.03.1945 III./J.G.11 Messerschmitt Bf 109 K-4 WNr. 33231
24.03.1945 IV./J.G.5 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 770228
24.03.1945 IV./J.G.5 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 781202
24.03.1945 I./J.G.52 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 465753
24.03.1945 III./J.G.52 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 613078
24.03.1945 III./J.G.52 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 465314
24.03.1945 2./N.A.Gr.2 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-10 WNr. 770246
24.03.1945 2./N.A.Gr.2 Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6 WNr. 19996

Source: www.ahs.no/ and own Gen.Qu.6 Abt lists

Best
Olve Dybvig
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  #3  
Old 25th April 2006, 20:04
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Hmm odd...

Books of the 359th FG by Jack H. Smith show a gun camera still from Lt. Kelly. It is difficult to tell, but the aircraft appears to be a Bf 109 G-10 (smooth gun fairings + fixed tail wheel + wooden tailfin). It has a dark coloured spinner and either no or a bright coloured RVT band. The aircraft number appears to be white. Camouflage is most likely green-grey (or two-tone grey but definitely contains RLM 75).

One of the Mustangs involved was damaged by a 20mm round.

Interestingly some of the pilots note that the crosses on the wings appeared to be shaped so they resemble a circle from a distance (on the guncam still they're standard white crosses on wing tops and fuselage).

In any case, thanks for looking
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Old 25th April 2006, 20:53
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Could it have been a training group with losses being put in another category?
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Old 25th April 2006, 20:56
John Beaman John Beaman is offline
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Also lost that day were 4 K-4s from JG 27 and 2 G-10s from JG 300.
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Old 25th April 2006, 21:38
John Manrho John Manrho is offline
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

I would say this is I./JG 27. They reported losses in combat near Störmede Airfield. Losses were reported as 4 KIA. Eyewitnesses reported the loss of 6 Bf 109 so we can assume 2 pilots bailed out. Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....

regards,

John
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Old 25th April 2006, 21:55
John Beaman John Beaman is offline
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Manrho
I would say this is I./JG 27. They reported losses in combat near Störmede Airfield. Losses were reported as 4 KIA. Eyewitnesses reported the loss of 6 Bf 109 so we can assume 2 pilots bailed out. Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....

regards,

John
Hi John.

Yes, I have them listed as 2 from 1 Staffel and 2 from 2 Staffel, although I have 1 pilot listed as MIA rather than KIA. Perhaps he was later confirmed as KIA?

Skyraider: Do you have a reference like an encounter report for this action?

John
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Old 25th April 2006, 23:23
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Manrho
Just west of Störmede airfield lies the small village of Eikeloh.....
John, you're a star! I was expecting "Eiklon" to be misspelt as there was no reference to it anywhere. I also couldn't find any airfield with a name close to it, so it makes sense it's a nearby town. It's easy to see how a handwritten Eikeloh could have been as Eiklon.
Do you happen to have any exact info on the losses, such as type, WerkeNr, markings and pilots involved? I have tried to decypher the blur on the guncam shot and it appears to both me and my wife as a white 4.

Quote:
Originally Posted by John Beaman
Do you have a reference like an encounter report for this action?
Not yet, but the 359th FG historian may be able to help. I'm trying to "reconstruct" several 359th FG encounters and she's been extremely helpful so far
It's interesting you have the losses listed a K-4's. The guncam still shows a clear tailwheel. Flaps are down and the 359th pilots reported the 109s as being in a landing pattern, so it's possible the gear was down. However judging from the background, I estimate the aircraft was flying at at least 5000 ft.


Many thanks guys!
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Old 25th April 2006, 23:38
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

Since I keep referring to the guncam still, I thought I'd show you.



Please excuse the poor quality of the reproduction including the blob from the flash of my camera. My scanner doesn't work anymore...

Source: Mustangs & Unicorns, Jack H. Smith, ISBN 1-57510-029-0
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Old 25th April 2006, 23:47
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Re: Bf 109 massacre of 24 March 1945 (359th FG)

I hv 4 planes total loss for that day at or around Stormede, 1+2 JG27, + 1 for 3.JG27 damage unknown,+ 2 pilots wounded by strafing aircrafts, same day in combats, no place named ,11.jg27 lost 3 more, III.JG27 6, nd 4 concerning II.JG27
JG 300 seems to hv lost 18 crafts

rt
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