Air Battle over Paris 24 July 1944

[Troy White]

On 25 July 1944 there was a good sized battle over Paris that went from altitude right down to the deck with Mustangs from the 357th FG engaging Bf 109s and FW 190s. One Mustang pilot reported being so low that he was being shot at from above by Germans who were on rooftops. Several 190s and 109s crashed in downtown Paris while another crashed on a race track.

Since first reading the encounter reports almost a decade ago I have often wondered which unit the Germans were from. Caldwell's JG 26 War Diary rules out JG 26 and I don't think it was JG 2 either. Does anyone out there have a clue?

Cheers & Merry Christmas

Troy

[Rabe Anton]

Try III./JG 54. . . .

RA

[Klaus Schiffler]

I don't know if you meant the 24th or the 25th but on the latter date III./JG 26 lost two Bf 109G-6s over Paris.

[Dave Clark]

My records show that between 1150 and 1200 hours 25 July 1944 over Paris, 363rd FS and 362nd FS (of 357th FG 8thAF) flying P-51s, claimed four German aircraft destroyed (claimed by Capt Foy, Capt Bochkay, Capt Carson and Capt Pugh). They claimed two FW 190s and two Bf 109s. As pointed out by another responder, III./JG 26 (flying Bf 109s) lost Ofhr Leinberger (parachuted safely) and Uffz Salewsky (also safe). But what about the FW 190s?

The picture is unclear, but between 1125 and 1200 hours near Dreux only 30 miles away, Mustangs of 122 Squadron (2ndTAF) and P-51s of 338th FS, 55th FG 8thAF, claimed two FW 190s and two BF 109s (F/O Cush and a shared FW 190 by 122 Squadron; Lt Shank two Bf 109s by 338th FS) while they lost one pilot, Lt Gerald (FTR MACR 6847). The opponent here was likely II./JG 3 (flying Bf 109s) who claimed one victory (Lt Zimmermann claimed a P-51) while theyl ost three -- Lt Glaab KIA, Lt Zimmermann (safe) and one unidentified. The locale for this engagement as recorded by II./JG 3 was Chartres 15 miles from Dreux, but like Dreux, about 30 miles from Paris.

Let me know if your information can clarify any of this.

best wishes

Dave Clark

[Matthias Radu]

Jean-Bernard Frappé additionally lists the following Luftwaffe losses on 25th July 1944 in Northwestern France in the book "La Luftwaffe face au débarquement allié" (Editions Heimdal):

7. / JG 52:
Bf-109 G-6 165 543 Weiße 3 Ofw. Günther Streiber KIA S of Dreux
Bf-109 G-6 412 920 Weiße 6 Uffz. Friedrich Schnödewind wounded S of Dreux

The location of the loss of Ltn. Helmut Glaaß (6. / JG 3) Bf-109 G-6 440 154 Gelbe 1 is given as Dourdan

5 Fw-190 A are listed as lost on this date:

Gefr. Helmut Walter (5. / JG 1) Fw-190 A-8 731 410 Schwarze 1 Chandai, E of L'Aigle
Ofw. Karlheinz Munsche (9. / JG 2) Fw-190 A-8 690 139 Caen area
Fhr. Hans-Joachim Voormann (12. / JG 2) Fw-190 A-8 (probably an A-7 in fact) 431 157 Caen area
Uffz. Reinhard Mischke (7. / JG 54) Fw-190 A-8/ZY-4 680 808 Weiße 2 Caen area
Uffz. Werner Witt (2. / JG 54) Fw-190 A-8 680 804 Rote 6 SE of Caen

Altogether, there are 26 Bf-109 and Fw-190 losses registered for that date in the Seine / Normandie area.

Hope that helps

Regards

Matthias

[KrisJG3]

Gefr. Helmut Walter (5. / JG 1) Fw-190 A-8 , 731 410, Schwarze 1 , Chandai, E of L'Aigle

Parts of wrack found in internet :

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