Enemy P-51 Shot down by 82nd FG P-38

[kaki3152]

On October 29,1944, a enemy flown P-51 B/C was claimed by the 82nd FG. The airplane was described as "olive drab" and attacked a formation of 82nd FG P-38s. After taking hits from a P-38, it crashed into a mountain (Adorimi 82FG)
No 15th AF P-51s were reported lost.

Speculation. Any ideas as to who would be flying an enemy P-51? The encounter was over Linz, Austria. Maybe the P-51 was one captured by the Hungarians? Zirkus Rosarius always avoided combat. A local Luftwaffe unit flying a captured P-51? Doubtful. Possibly the A/C was misidentified? Probably will remain another minor mystery of WWII

[RSwank]

According to this link: http://www.82ndfightergroup.org/scorecard.html

the P-38 pilot was 2nd Lt. Eldon E. Coulson, who was credited with 1 - P-51(Axis) shot down on October 29, 1944.

Coulson was killed on Nov 7 in an incident involving Soviet Yak 3 fighters at Nis.

https://worldwarwings.com/nis-incident-p38-vs-yak3/

[kaki3152]

Still the question remains as to the Mustang unit. I wonder if there were any Luftwaffe casualties on this date?

[Russell]

Hello to everybody
I suggest it could be
309th FS/31st FG P-51B 42-106559 WZ-T Miss Sallie III on left side Angie on right side left 0932 on escort to Regensburg, while flying in 10/10ths cloud complained his gyro was not working at 1115 when 46-25N, 13-30E, 28 m NEW of Udine called at 1130 to check on formation and then not seen or heard from, Germans reported he crashed 12 km SE of Grunau, 30 km S of Wels at 1230 after being shot down by fighters; Capt Frederick John Dorsch, Jr KIA

Coulsons claim was 30 miles SW Linz at 1255.


Frank Olynyk dug out the SD investigation report on Dorsch which he summarised as follows
The report in the IDPF by the Burgermeister of Grunau reports Dorsch was shot down by "several German fighters, . It states that villagers saw his
plane being shot down at low altitude by German fighters. It crashed at 1230 hours, 8 km East of Grunau, NE side of Kasberg (mountain) near the so
called ``Schwarzenwasser'', at about 1000 m altitude. Remains buried by English POWs (I think), nearby crash site. When reburied in St Avold,
France the condition of remains is given as: fractured skull, rt/tibia and Fibula, rt/radius, lt/femur, partially disarticulated. Large amount of flesh in
last stages of decomposition. So I do not think SD case is a reference to a war crime.

Russell.