PISTON ENGINE AIRCRAFT JET KILLS

Erich · 07-15-2006, 04:21 PM

January 14, 1945

US 357th fg pounced on a number of Fw 190's attacking US heavy bombers and the 357th fg came out on top claiming some 56 German fighters this date. JG 7 sent their Me 262's to attack the Stangs instead of the bombers which in itself was fool-hardy.....first hand info states 1 Me 262 slid in behind several STangs of the 357th fg and sat there with the flight and then took off ahead. pretty weird as one pilot Dale Karger had him in his sights when he got behind but had his gun switch turned off and the Me 262 sped off.
Stangs of the 353rd caught a couple of jets at 10,000 feet heading in a northerly fashion, the Stang pilot Lt. B.J. Murray shot down Unteroffizier Detjens who bailed out, Detjens by the way is still alive....anaother 9./JG 7 pilot was shot down and killed as two-three Stangs ganged up from behind and drilled the jet. Feldwebel Heinrich Wurm fell to his death. Two othere jets damaged by the group and a Jug from the 56th fg also damaged anoather jet of JG 7. One jet of III./JG 7 was lost in a crash with the pilot killed and other in red 14 was lost to US action the pilot suriving the incident near Neuruppin.
RAF Spits encountered jets as well and Capt. Bolsted of the 332nd caught a II./KG 51 jet landing at Rheine and shot it down, the pilot not surviving. Another I. gruppe jet of KG 51 lost it's pilot due to Allied AA guns near Detweiler.

Henk · 07-15-2006, 08:33 PM

Erich great info mate, but could you also tell us something about Arado 234's being shot down in great numbers or were they not shot down in large numbers?

Erich · 07-15-2006, 09:40 PM

they were not shot down in any large numbers as there just were not that many in useage. I have to get back on that from the info that Adler gave.......

Henk · 07-15-2006, 09:51 PM

Cool sounds good.

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-16-2006, 06:08 AM

Of how much interest it would be to you I don't know Erich but August's Flypast has an interview with Willi Kriessman, it focuses mainly on his exploits over Russia with his He-111 leading KG53, however it does make mention of his flying the Blitz towards the end of the war, however it was just ferry flights through what he describes as "German airspace that was controlled by P-51 Mustangs and P-38 Lightening" he is however very complimentary as to the Blitz's abilities........

Erich · 07-16-2006, 08:33 AM

Lanc I will look for the August issue next month, thanks for the ehads up !

E ~

the lancaster kicks ass · 07-17-2006, 07:14 AM

i've posted more about the feature in annother thread you started (i don't know if you've found it yet) but the August issue is alreay out (they always release them a month in advance, July edition comes out in June, August issue comes out in July) so it should already be out if you can get it out there, if not there'll be a way for me to send one or two out..........

SR-71/U-2 Crew Chief · 08-02-2006, 01:19 PM

I have heard my dad talk about the films and his 1/2 credit lots of times.
I wish he would get them recorded in a more permanant media.
This is a very interesting thread hope it stays alive!!

Erich · 08-31-2006, 12:43 PM

"Bump"

well it's been awhile, in process of sending a package to 262 killer Steve Ananian this weekend. Have glass stuck in my hands so am typing softly and more will come give me a moment ...........

E ~

Erich · 09-13-2006, 06:03 PM

from E.M. Mustang pilot chatted recently along with 3 of his other buddies in their fg

to your question about flying against the ME 262 the following thoughts come to mind. We didn't see them until late in the war when we aerial superority. We learned not to let them sneak up behind which made for more careful checking your tail. When traveling in 4s or 2s we flew wide abreast to check each other tails. Then we would turn into them for a head on. At that time we had a tail warning radar based on the proximity fuse for artillery with a red light in the dash. When that came on we did a violent sudden manuver. We did not worry about head on as the firepower was equal and they did not use that manuver. The best way to catch one was to have such altitude advantage that you could reach 400 plus mph and catch him from behind. They were also vulnerable when taking off and landing especially if they were about out of fuel. Regards, Ed

Henk · 09-13-2006, 06:13 PM

Cool info Erich.

Twitch · 09-18-2006, 09:51 AM

Here are some pilots I've met with recently and their victories against jets. I won't go into stories here but this is the data:

Col. Richard Candelaria 479th FG- Me 262 April 7, 1945 claimed as probable confirmed destroyed by German records

Capt Harrison Tordoff 353rd FG- Me 262 March 31 1945

Lt. Col. Don Cummings 55th FG- 2 Me262s February 25 1945

Capt. Robert Winks 357th FG- Me 262 January 15, 1945

Major Urben Drew 362st FG- 2 Me 262s October 7, 1944

Capt. Wayne Coleman 78th FG- Me 262 March 31, 1945

Lt. Joseph Peterburs 20th FG- Me 262 April 10, 1945 flow by Walter Schuck

Lt. Col. Huie Lamb 78th FG- Me 262 October 15, 1944, 1/2 Ar 234 March 1945

Erich · 09-18-2006, 04:55 PM

when did you seak with Tordoff last Twitch ? Friend Huie Lamb is covered in my thread as well as Drew who is deceased for some years now. J. Petersburs is going to get covered as I have pics, we talked at length and his combat ops for the date, neat guy.

still trying to make this a day by day thread everyone

Twitch · 09-20-2006, 11:45 AM

I saw Capt. Tordoff Sunday. And the news of Ben Drew's demise are greatly exagerated. He is VERY much alive though he has been through medical challenges the past few years.

Erich · 09-20-2006, 01:18 PM

Idiots ! that is all I can say , it is stuff like this that gets reported about aces deaths/illness from both sides and then we have to take it as fact ( I have in this case ) unless we have the close in scoop.

thanks for clarification Twitch. private message sent to you