Luftwaffe losses, Rhubarb opeartion 19/09/1941

[Bernard]

Well Bernard is back with his Rhubarb Operations...

On the 19th of September 1941, F/O G.A.Daymond and P/O J.Flynn both American flew a Rhubarb operation and claimed 2 Me.109Fs destroyed, 1 Me109F Damaged, Daymond's Spitfire being damaged.

AIR 50/29p 29, 30.
F/O G.A.Daymond. ( American ) Rhubarb operation.
Date: 19.9.41.
Flight, Squadron: " A " Flight, 71 ( Eagle )Squadron.
Number of enemy aircraft: Six.
Type of enemy aircraft: Me.109F.
Time attack was delivered: 1640 - 1655.
Place attack was delivered: Dunkirk - Dover.
Height of enemy aircraft: 700 feet to 50 feet.
enemy casualties: One Me.109F destroyed. One Me.109F damaged.
Our casualties: One Spitfire VB Damaged Cat.1.

I was flying as Red I on september 19th. Airborne North Weald at 1610 hours on a rhubarb operation. I proceeded with Red II via Manston to east of Dunkirk using cloud cover crossing the French coast at …( unreadable )..? feet. We made a right hand sweep going inland about 20 miles and approaching the French coast again in the Dunkirk Mardyck area. We observed a well camouflaged aerodrome very near the beach. As we approached this aerodrome an Me.109F took off, wich I went down to attack, before I could close range on the first enemy aircraft another 109 took off directly behind the first, so I fired a burst of 3 seconds with machine gun at it without observing any results from 175 to 75 yards. I saw Red II attack another 109F taking off wich was immediately followed by three more Me109F' s taking off and climbing at a very steep angle. We retreated towards Dover at full throttle, myself at 50 feet and Red II at a 1,000 feet. About mid-channel, all six enemy aircraft overtook us quite easily. They appeared to be at least 20 miles an hour faster than our own Spitfires at sea level. Two enemy aircraft attacked Red II and four attacked myself. Two enemy aircraft were on my tail, while the other 109' s had each taken up position on either side of me, slightly above and slightly behind me. One of the enemy aircraft had opened fire and I was flanked on both sides, I decided to close the throttle and apply hard right rudder. A heavy deceleration followed with with the result that the enemy aircraft overshot and flew over me slightly to starboard. I raised my nose and fired about a 5 second burst at approximately 40-50 yards with cannon and machine guns. The enemy aircraft shuddered violently, flicked on its back and dived into the sea. The enemy aircraft on my starboard side carried out a beam attack on me during this action wich blew my hood off and slightly damaged my rudder. I turned after this enemy aircraft as he passed behind me and fired my remaining amunition at him from 150 to 200 yards wich caused several large pieces to fly off. I then continued my retreat towards Dover and was pursued all the way to the Dover cliffs by a 109F wich fired continuoulsy. My evasive action consisted of slipping, hard skids and steep turns. The enemy aircraft was obviously piloted by a very experienced pilot as he never left himself open to any attack I could have carried out, and regained his position on my tail very effectively whenever I slackened in my evasive action. The enemy aircraft broke off the pursuit as I crossed the English coast. During the action I saw an Me109F dive into the sea shot down by Red II.
I claim one Me109F destroyed and one Me109F damaged.
F/O G.A. Daymond




AIR 50/29p 51.
P/O J.Flynn ( American ).
Date: 19.9.41.
Flight, Squadron: " A " Flight, 71 ( Eagle )Squadron.
Number of enemy aircraft: Six.
Type of enemy aircraft: Me.109F.
Time attack was delivered: 1640 - 1655.
Place attack was delivered: Dunkirk - Dover.
Height of enemy aircraft: 1,000 feet.
enemy casualties: One Me.109F destroyed.
Our casualties: Nil.

I took off in a Spitfire VB as Red II at 1610 hours on 19.9.41. proceeded to Manston on a rhubarboperation. From there course was set to cross the French coast East of Dunkirk. Crossed Frenchcoast in cloud and emerged at 2,500 feet about 10 miles inland. Made a sweep of about 20 miles.When 5 miles from recrossing the French coast Red I saw a Me109F below and close to the beach taking off. As Red I went down to attack I saw 5 more taking off. Red I got a burst on thesecond Me109F. The third Me109F climbed up to get behind me. I turned and climbed as he wentahead of me. Got in a three second burst from astern - with cannon and machine gun fire - range 200 yards. Broke away as other 109 joined in. Red I went to sea level. I flew just at a 1,000 feet.The Me109' s followed and caught us half way across the channel. I came down to 800 feet and was making 320 m.p.h. saw Red I being attacked from astern by 109 and as I turned down to portto attack this109 I saw 2 109' s pulling in on my tail. Turning sharply into them, got on leading 109' s tail and fired a long burst of cannon and machine gun from about 100 yards. He went straight in. I rolled over and the 2nd 109 was not to be seen. I saw one 109 go in that Red I had just fired at. Immediately two others jumped at him. Another came at me and as I had noammunition left I went into cloud. Just before entering cloud I saw Red I pull up over the cliffs with a 109 on his tail.
I claim 1 109F destroyed, and confirm that red I also destroyed a Me109F.
P/O John Flynn.

AIR 50/29p 90.
Date: 19th September, 1941.
Flight, Squadron: " A " Flight, 71 ( Eagle )Squadron.
Number of enemy aircraft: Six.
Type of enemy aircraft: Me.109F.
Time attack was delivered: 1640 - 1655.
Place attack was delivered: Dunkirk - Dover.
Height of enemy aircraft: 1,000 feet to 50 feet.
enemy casualties: 2 Me.109Fs destroyed, 1 Me109F Damaged.
Our casualties: 1 Spitfire VB Damaged Cat.1. Personnel: Nil.

( R ) General Report.
Two Spitfires VB, Red Section, No.71 ( Eagle ) Squadron, were airborne North Weald 1610 hours19.9.41 in a rhubarb opeartion. The section proceeded via Manston and crossed the French coastabout ten miles east of Dunkirk in cloud cover at 3, 000 feet. There was 10/10th. Cloud at 23, 000 feet and the section dropped to 2, 000 feet and made a right hand sweep about 20 milesinland, crossing the French coast over a well camouflaged aerodrome, believed to be the Dunkirk - Mardyck.On approaching the aerodrome, a Me.109F was observed taking off and the section went down to700 feet to attack it. Before they could close range on the first one, two more Me.109F' s took off.Red I, ( F/O G.A. Daymond- American ), fired a three second burst with his machine guns at the second one from 175 to 75 yards range without observing any results. Three more Me.109f' s tookoff making six in all so the Section beat a retreat towards Dover, Red I flying at 50 feet and Red IIat 1,000 feet. The Me.109F's pursued, four following Red I and two following Red II. They proved tobe about 20 miles per hour faster than the Spitfires and overtook them about half-way across theChannel, and attacked with cannon, firing some delayed action shells.Red II saw Red I being attacked from astern and as he was about to go to his assistance, he washimself attacked by two Me.109Fs. He turned sharply into them and fired a four second burst withcannon and machine guns from 100 yards. The Me.109F turned on its back and crashed into the sea. It is claimed as destroyed and is confirmed by Red I. The second Me.109F returned home. Meanwhile, two Me.109F's were on Red I's tail, and the other two had positioned themselves oneither side of him, he closed his throttle and applied hard right rudder. A heavy deceleration,following with the result that the two Me.109F's overshot Red I and flew above him, slightly to the starboard. Red I raised his nose and fired a five second burst from 40 to 50 yards range withcannon and machine guns. The enemy aircraft shuddered violently, flicked over on its back anddived into the sea. It is claimed as destroyed and this is confirmed by Red II.The Me.109f on the starboard side carried out a beam attack on Red I, during this action. It blewoff his hood and slightly damaged his rudder. Red I turned after this Me.109F as it passed him andfired his remaining ammunition from his cannon and machine guns in a 2 second burst from 150to 200 yards range. Several large pieces flew off the Me.109F and it is claimed as damaged. Red Ithen retreated towards dover and was pursued all the way by an Me.109F wich fired repeatedly. Hetook evasive action wich consisted of skidding, hard slips and steep turns. The enemy aircraft only bloke off hios pursuit when the English coast was crossed north of dover.the Spitfires landed North Weald at 1725 hours.

( signed ) J.R. RobinsFlying OfficerIntelligence Officer No. 71 Squadron.
FC/S. 15570/Int.Date: 28 th September, 1941.

JG26 was most certainly the encounter, would anyone have details about their losses ?

Thanks a lot.

Bernard.

[Brian]

Hi Bernard

No operations listed fro this date in Don Caldwell's 'JG26 War Diary.'

Cheers
Brian

[Chris Goss]

............and nothing from JG 2; another example to support what Andy Saunders has been saying!

[Franek Grabowski]

Not exactly. If we agree the report is not bogus, then there was a German unit engaged. Do we know the unit or are we short of documents?