72 Squadron Victories

[David P. Williams]

I am looking for possible Italian and Luftwaffe losses on the following dates, all of whom were claimed by Rodney Scrase DFC of 72 Squadron:

1. Fiat G50-B 12th July 1943 in the area of Syracuse-Augusta, Sicily just before midday.

2. Bf 109G 15th December 1943 near Frosinone, Sicily at approx. 11.15am.

3. Fw 190 21st January 1944 10 miles south of Rome approx. 08.30 am

4. Gf 109G 14th February 1944 30 miles north of Anzio near the coast , crash landed near to a small farm.

Can anyone provide details of the Luftwaffe units operating in these areas at the relevant times, many thanks in advance,

David

[alessandro bray]

Hi,

for the G-50 claim on 12.07.43

10 G-50bis of the 159. Gruppo led by Capitano Greco encountered Spitfires of 72. Sqn on the morning and 3 were downed with all the pilots KIA or MIA, with 5 claimed by the RAF pilots

some more details are in Spitfire over Sicily , Cull, Malizia and Galea

ciao

Alessandro

[Nick Beale]

The Fw 190 ought to have been from I. or II./SG 4 (the only Fw 190 units in Italy at the time) but I don't have a loss from either on 21 January.

(ULTRA VL 4550) Report [by] Flifü Luftflotte 2 on 21st: two ops against Minturno by Fw 190 with escort, of which one by 14 Fw 190 at 11.45. Nineteen fighters scramble. Four sorties on two recce tasks before centre and right wing of XIV Pz. Korps. Both tasks uncompleted owing fighter defence. One aircraft lost.

No detail on what the aircraft lost was, though.

[David P. Williams]

Nick,

my apologies, should have read 27th January 1944,

David

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by David P. Williams

Nick,

my apologies, should have read 27th January 1944,

David

No worries, David. Unfortunately I don't have a loss for the 27th although Fw 190s were operating against Anzio-Nettuno at the relevant time.

[David P. Williams]

Nick/Alessandro,

Many thanks gentlemen for your quick responses, which have already been a great help.

Nick, do you know which Luftwaffe units were operating in the Anzio theatre, or perhaps you can suggest some sources. I know that JG 27 were in Southern Italy, as well as probably JG 77.

Thank you again,

David

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by David P. Williams

Nick/Alessandro,

Nick, do you know which Luftwaffe units were operating in the Anzio theatre, or perhaps you can suggest some sources. I know that JG 27 were in Southern Italy, as well as probably JG 77.

David

Actually JG 27 wasn't in Southern Italy then, and hadn't been for some time. I think the nearest piece of it was in Greece. What they had in the south at the end of January 1944 was:

I. and II./SG 4 (Fw 190)
1. and 2./NAG 11 (Bf 109)
I./JG 4
II./JG 51
Stab and III./JG 53
II./JG 77

[David P. Williams]

Nick,

Brilliant stuff, thank you. I'll start digging!

David

[Siko54]

Hi David, this could have been Hauptmann Erich Bunge of 5./SG4 on the 27th Jan 1944. He recorded being badly shot up by a Spitfire in his Flugbuch on the 27th although made it back to base and the timings agree with Rodney Scrase’s claim on the morning of the 27th.