3./NJG 2 Ju 88 Malta 12 May 1942

[andy bird]

Flight Lieutenant Gilbert Hayton claimed a Ju. 88 on 12 May 1942 whilst flying an 89 Sqn Beaufighter.

In 'Air Battle Malta' Chris Shore has Junkers as shot down p.71

whilst

'Aces High Vol 2' Chris Shore has Junkers as damaged p. 320

Which is correct

Kind regards

Andy Bird

[Stig Jarlevik]

Andy

You mean Aces High (New Edition) from 1994.
Aces High Vol 2 is the book with updates/corrections to the new edition published in 1999. It does not have 320 pages....

Unfortunately I don't have the other source you quote, but page 321 under point a) says this claim has variously been recorded as either a probable or a damaged so unless this "Air Battle Malta" is more recent I would go with Aces High (no correction 1999)

What is interesting is that this claim you relate to is not listed in Shores/Cull/Malizia's "Malta the Spitfire Year 1942 (from 1991). Instead another claim is stated to have been made by P/O Daniel and Sgt Walsh shortly after 22.00H on the 12th.

Since I take it P/O Daniel refers to Edward Gough Daniel, who was at Malta at the time, he is not listed in Aces High as having scored anything on the 12th, I then presume the Spitfire Year contains an error, and the claim made on the 12th was actually done by Hayton, possibly using a radar operator named Walsh (if so it was not his usual r/o)

One reason for the mistake, may have been that both Daniel and Hayton shared the same aircraft X7750 (see correction in Aces High Vol 2)

In the earlier book, the Spitfire Year, this Ju 88 is claimed as shot down in flames, but regardless of that the officials must have downgraded this claim to either a probable or damaged. If the conclusion is correct in Aces High, the Ju 88 was in fact really lost by the Germans.

Cheers
Stig

[Zippy1]

The only aircraft that came down on land on the 12th was an SM 84 of 14 Squadriglia 4 Gruppo which crashed near Dingli, so if it crashed it either crashed into the sea or on Sicily.

[Brian Bines]

As regards the SM 84 the crash location in 'Battle Over Malta losses 1940-42 ' is given as in a garden at Tal-Pitkal near Dingli Malta. Four crew baling out . the body of one thrown dead from the crash and one dead in the wreckage . It was claimed the parachutists were buzzed by a pilot of 185 Sqd . to collapse the canopies which opened again after a short drop. After another pilot saw three of them come down in the sea and make it to a ledge at the foot of a cliff . One report said they were picked by a launch and another that rocks had been dropped on them and they were killed . From the Italian Prisoner of War-WWII list ( MALTA FAMILY HISTORY) the crew were Sc.Ten Vinicio Vego , Serg.Eugenio Rivolta + body recovered from sea , Pr.Avi. Gustavo Petrai , Pr.Avi Luigi Conte , Avi.Sce Sergio Orsingher , Avi.Sce Francesco Carabellse + body thown from crash . The Malta list does not show the fate of four of the crew as to whether the picked up by launch or if they were killed which might mean they were prisoners. Is there any info. from a 'K' or book confirming the crew names and fate ?

[andy bird]

Apologies for the delay in my replying gentlemen, thank you and belated Happy New

Andy Bird