414. squadron RCAF

[Michal R.]

Hi guys,
I have some question about 414. squadron RCAF.

On 19.8.1942 H.H.Hills shot down one FW 190 (first Mustang kill), does we know opponent or enemy unit?

On 28.1.1944 four pilots claimed two Ar 96 and Bf 109 shot down. Does anybody know names´this pilot (one was probably F/O R.O.Brown, Mustang I AG503, he was killed) and some details about opponents?

On 14.12.1944 F/Lt Sawers claimed 3-0-2 Bf 109. Bf 109 were probably from IV./JG 27 and two crashed, have not anybody pilot´s names and details about theirs planes?

On 2.5.1945 F/Lt D.I.Hall claimed 3-0-1 Fw190 and 1-0-1 Bf 108. My question is same as above (units, names, planes).

And one more request: does not anybody photos of Mustangs and Spitfires from 414. squadron and portrairts od H.H.Hills, Gordon Wonnacott and D.I.Hall?

I shall be happy to every one help.

Best wishes
Michal Rak

[Fairlop]

Michale,

28/1/44
F/O Brown 1-0-0 Ar 96
F/L Wonnacott 1/2-0-0 Ar-96 plus 1-0-0 Bf 109
F/L Burroughs 1/2-0-0 Ar-96 plus 1-0-0 Bf 109

Regards,
Michal

[Laurent Rizzotti]

French magazine Avions n° 77 (August 1999) had a list of losses for the German shool units (and other rear units) in France and has the following on this loss:

Mustang of 414 Sqn flew over Chartres area and eluded German air control. According to the ORB (note: in the magazine is a French translation that I translated again in English...):
" The weather was overcast but six sorties could be made (....) F/Lt Burroughs, Wonnacott and Seaman and F/O Brown flew a photographic recon and a Ranger combined together. They first met two Bf 109 and destroyed them before doing the same to two other aircraft they couldn't identify by type but that were identified as enemy. In the melee F/O Brown disappeared. "Cowlie" Wonnacot told he saw five smoke pillars et thought that the aircraft of "Bob" Brown was one of them ".

These Mustangs effectively surpried and shot down two Bf 109 E northeast of Chartres and then met two Ar 96 (training aircraft). Robert Oswald Brown crashed at Chandelles with Mustang AN503. He hit popplars boarding a river while flying on the deck. He could not have been shot down by the Arado as they were unarmed.

All four German AC were from JG 105 (operational training unit) and all were listed as destroyed at 100% by enemy fire:

Bf 109 E-7 WNr 5630 Uffz Heinz Ries killed at Maintenon
Bf 109 E-7 WNr 3393 Uffz Emil Kemmer killed at Maintenon

Ar 96 B-1 WNr 1217 Gefr Bruno Gregowzew wounded east of Maintenon
Ar 96 B-3 WNr 4488 Uffz Wolfgang Martin wounded east of Maintenon

[Steve49]

For the 19th August 1942 claim by FO Hill the opponent was probably from JG26, though whether a Fw190 was actually shotdown is another question.

I don't know if you know, but FO Hill was flying as a weaver to F/Lt Clarke. During the mission F/Lt Clarkes aircraft was badly damaged by a Fw190 and forced ditched offshore. The only claim for a Mustang at this time was made by Oblt Zink (from 2./JG26) at 11.10, so it stands to reason that FO Hill tangled with other elements of JG26. Unfortunately for the purposes of identifying the Fw190 no JG26 aircraft appear to have been lost at this time. Considering the number of overclaims and the confused and lengthy nature of the fighting during the day, re-constructing the air battle surrounding the Dieppe raid is a virtual impossibilty, but it does seem in this case that the Fw190 in question lived to fight another day.

Good luck in your research.

Regards,

Steve

[Michal R.]

Hi gentlemen!
I thank you for your advices!

About Hills - Calrke engagment is some info there - http://www.rcaf.com/archives/archive...ngs_dieppe.htm

With what wrote Steve and from Caldwell´s book about JG 26 , its appear, that Zink damaged Clarke´s Mustang and Ofw. Kruska (6./JG 26) hit next Mustang from 414. squadron - AG601, P/O C. H. Stover, which hit a pole evading FW 190 and belly landed at base.
And I expected, that concrete opponent form Hills battle was not known, but what if it chanced that yes

But I have one more quastion.
On 6.6.1943 was shot down F/O Doherty (Mustang AP172) south of Scilly Isles by FW 190 of 8./JG 2 (from Foreman´s FC war diary) But in Tony Woods claims list are not any claims on 6.6. 1943 - http://www.lesbutler.ip3.co.uk/tony/tonywood.htm

Once again thanks for yours answers!
Michal

[Steve49]

Michal,

Other 414 Squadron casualties during 19th August 1942;

AG376 PO D.A. Bernhardt -Slightly damaged after hitting a tree.
AG459 FO C.L. Horncastle -Lost 5' of starboard wing tip after a bird strike (during the same mission that PO Stover's aircraft was damaged).
AG382 PO R.C. MacQuoid -Damaged by flak, pilot slightly wounded, landed on one wheel.

Regards,

Steve

[Chris Goss]

I have Lt Hans-Ulrich Tartsch of 8/JG 2 claiming a Mustang SW of Lands End 2035 hrs which matches with the loss of AP172 35 miles south of Bishops Rock at 2030 hrs

[Michal R.]

Hi Chris and Steve,
thanks for answer!
Michal

[Michal R.]

Hello!

I have one other quastion.

On 31.10.1943 F/O May - F/O Brown claimed one Ju 88 and one plane, recognised as Yale, shot down.
Knows anybody identity of this two planes?

Once more thanks for answer!
Michal

[Michal R.]

Hi,

I have maybe last question.

In Girbig - Ring book about JG27 I found only this two pilot wounded on 24.12.1944 (I have wrong date in my first post) in IV./JG 27 - Egon Welter and Wolfgang Heumann. Can they be pilots, who had engagment F/Lt Sawers? Or with D.I.Hall.

On 7.6.1944 at 6.30 pair Burroughs - Bromley claimed Ju 52 destroyed N of Mortagne and on 21.9.1944 D.I.Hall claimed Fw 190 destroyed over Nijmegen area (first unit´s kill on spitfire) - knows anybody identity of this two planes?

Meantime I searched, that 414. squadron RCAF claimed 27-1-8 victories and lost 33 planes (17 Mustangs and 16 Spitfires), 2 pilots were KiA, 18 MiA.

Again thanks to all!

Best wishes
Michal