391 FS, 366 FG Jet Claim 22EFB45

[Steve Brew]

I am trying to establish the claimant for a potentially only damaged or probable jet, likely claimed as an Me262 by a P47 Thunderbolt pilot over the Ahlen-Dülmen area on 22 February 1945.

I have some intelligence information on a captured Ar234 that the report links with a claim apparently made for an Me262 in the same area on this data.

Happy to share the report if anyone's interested, but would like to establish the pilot's name.

Just to be clear, it appears a pilot from 391 FS made a claim for a damaged or probable Me262 on 22 Feb 1945 after he hit the aircraft's starboard engine. The aircraft was apparently an Ar234, not an Me262, and crash-landed and was subsequently captured pracically intact (implying it was therefore actually destroyed).

Bit vague, but hoping someone might have a claim that sounds vaguely familiar for this date.

Thanks
Steve

[Ota Jirovec]

Hello Steve,

This is what William N. Hess wrote in German Jets versus the U.S. Army Air Force book about this combat:

"The 366th Fighter Group, of the Ninth Air Force, was flying its second mission of the day when one of its pilots encountered and downed an Arado 234. Lieutenant David B. Fox reported: "I was flying Red Three in the 391st Squadron formation led by Major Brinson. On our way home from a dive bombing mission, I spotted a lone Ar 234 and used water to catch him.
I dove on him, closing fast, began shooting about fifty to sixty degrees until I was in trail, when I ran out of ammunition. I observed strikes all over the plane. One large portion flew off, probably the canopy, and a fire started in the right engine. The plane went down smoking, and I followed it to the deck. Our own flak became so intense that we had to break off our pursuit. The planes continued a bit farther and finally bellied in."

According to C.-J. Ehrengardt´s post on the "old" TOCH (back in 2001) 1/Lt David B. Fox of the 391st FS claimed originally (and was given credit for) a Me-262 destroyed 10 miles NE of Aachen.

Hope this helps,

Ota

[Peter S]

Hi Steve, how are you?

I can confirm it was Arado. There is also a nice picture of this plane taken. It comes from David Fox's collection.
There was an article written by Warren Thompson in Fly Past in April 2008 re Fox's victory.Contact me on my private email and I'll be more than happy to help you.

Peter

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Peter S

There was an article written by Warren Thompson in Fly Past in April 2008 re Fox's victory.

Peter

And there was an article by me in Aviation News Vol. 17, No. 10, 30 September–13 October 1988.

[Steve Brew]

Thanks gents, most appreciated.

41 Squadron's Flt. Lt. Daniel Reid (RAAF) shot down an Ar234 on 2 March 1945, which is purported to have been the first shot down by the RAF in WWII. However, the 83 Group ORB states, with reference to Reid's victory, that it wasn't the first to fall into Allied hands, and goes on to talk about the event I've mentioned above, i.e. an initial erroneous identification, but subsequent assumption that it was actually an Ar234 ISO an Me262.

In fact, the report goes as far as saying the Ar234 wore the markings FI+MT, which identified it as belonging to 9./KG76. This was the same Gruppe to which the Ar234 belonged that 41's Reid shot down on 2 March.

In any case, this would all point to the USAAF's Lt. David Fox being the first Allied pilot to down such an aircraft, and Reid the second, albeit the first from an RAF squadron.

Thanks for your help gents. If anyone would like a copy of the report, please let me know.

Steve

[Nick Beale]

Fox's Ar 234 was the first such machine that the Allies captured. It came down near Selgersdorf, just behind German lines, and was overrun by US troops before the Germans could recover it.