Clarification of some allied losses over Tunisia

[Stig1207]

Excuse the thread necro, but what is the source of Goltzsch being the claimant for Bellerby's Spitfire?

[Stig1207]

It is some what confusing, as post #6 gives 'Fighters over Tunisia' as the source for Buehligen as the claimant.

However, in the much later 'Fw190 in North Africa' there is no mention of II/ JG2 operations on the 3.3. 1943 other than the loss of a pilot in a friendly fire incident.

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi,

An Allied report notes that Bf 109s intercepted No. 81 Squadron and shot down Bellerby. It definitely wasn't CR.42s! In reality, it seems that the Bf 109s were actually FW 190s.

The source of Goltzsch claiming a Spitfire is Luftwaffe victory claims records. Fighters Over Tunisia was incorrect about Bühligen making a claim on that day. I don't have Mediterranean Air War at hand right now, but no doubt Chris and Russell corrected the error in that publication. I'm not sure why Morten and I failed to mention the combat in our Fw 190 in North Africa book.

Hopefully that clears up some of the confusion.

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.airwarpublications.com/earticles

[Stig1207]

Thanks Andrew, it 's just that I haven't been able to find any claims by Goltzsch, Bühligen or by II/Jg2 at all on this date in the claims lists available on the web (Tony Woods etc) so I guess that these are LW records that have turned up in later years?

Gotlzsch is noted as the claimant in MAW, though there is still the question of the time difference; claim time is given as 0743 while Bellarby left 1020.