Kanalkampf. Mission 11: 20th July 1940

[Pitti]

Flight Reports: Mission 11: 20th July 1940

Template:

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name:
Rank:
Unit:
Aircraft:
Markings:
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: KIA / OK
Aircraft Status: Lost / Damaged

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

(code here)
http://www.aircombatgroup.co.uk/forum/v ... =66&t=1169



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Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Pitti
Rank: Major
Unit: Stab II./JG26
Aircraft: Bf109 E-1
Markings: << + -
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: OK
Aircraft Status: OK

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
1358	Manston/Ramsgate Bay	Hurricane	No. 501	Yes (Wiesel)

Today we once again had orders to escort Stukas to their target, a ship convoy in front of Manston. We took of at 1340 from Marquise and headed directly towards Calais in a steady climb to rendezvous with the Stukas. At 1358 we spotted them over the coast at 3500m. It was a huge formation of about 35 to 40 Stukas, ready to sent the convoy to the bottom of the sea.

As usual I was flying with the 6. Staffel and we took place at the bombers high 2 o'clock position. Unteroffizier Wiesel was flying as my wingman today. I ordered the 5. Staffel to take position on the left side of the formation and the 4. Staffel to take the high cover above the bombers.

While flying at 4500m, half way to the target, I spotted the enemy right in front of us at our 11 and 12 o'clock position approaching the Stukas head on, 1000m below us. I counted about 15 Hurricanes. The clock showed 1353. I let them pass below us to bring ourself in a good attack position. We made a left turn towards the bombers and the enemy and dived into the attack with full speed. We blasted through the enemies and the bombers at high speed, our guns blazing. Climbed up and went in again. After several passes my Schwarm was separated and I gave orders to regroup while the Stukas were diving down on the ships. I shoot several Hurricanes and damaged them but didn't see one going down yet.

Unteroffizier Wiesel and me regrouped directly over the ships at about 4500m and instantly spotted a lone Hurricane flying slightly lower on our 12 o'clock. I pushed the stick forwards and went into a shallow dive, gave the Hurricane a full burst from my 4 machine guns. While passing him I looked back and saw the pilot bailing out while Unteroffizier Wiesel was just about to attack him. This happend at 1358.

After this nice victory we turned south and climbed up a little bit to get an overview of the situations. There was a lot of activity going on below us. The Stukas had finished their attack run and tried to head home while still engaged with the enemy. I radio was filled with victorious "Horridos" and screams for help at the same time.
From this time a engaged in several small dogfights wherever someone screamed for help between Manston and Deal. At some point my wingman Wiesel got some hits in his radiator from an enemy fighter which sneaked up behind him. Luckily Wiesel could make it back home safe.

At 1422 most of the fighting was done and I gave orders to everyone to return back to base. I didn't managed to shoot more enemies down but I was successful in damaging 3 more Hurricanes during these several small engagements.

I landed back on your airfield at 1428 without any damage.

[Wiesel]

Mission Date: 20-07-1940 1340-1417

Name: Wiesel
Rank: Unteroffizier
Unit: 6./JG26
Aircraft: Bf-109 E1
Markings: Brown 4
Aerodrome: Marquise West
Status: Pilot OK / RTB
Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

I confirm one kill of Pitti over a Hurricane (No. 501 Mauf) over the ships at Manston Bay.



Our orders for today were close escort for a large Stuka formation which was going to attack an British convoy around Manston.
These guys had horrible losses in the last weeks, they don't have a chance against the Hurrics and Spits. So, they realy need us to do a
good job. I climbed into my cockpit and started the engine. Today, I was assigned to fly as the Gruppenkommandeurs wingman in the leading Rotte of our Staffel.

We had a good take-off and set course for Oye-Plage with a steady climb. We met with the Stuka formation at Hallo 40 over the Calai area. The Stukas were heading directly towards Manston and Ramsgate. We positioned ourselves at the 2 o'clock position of the formation, with Schwarm 2 and 3 of our Staffel within visible range. 4th and 5th Staffel were over and left of the Stukas out of visible range. I was thinking, that today we make it, nothing can go wrong, this is the mighty Luftwaffe on its way to victory over the arrogant and snobbish British, today we will teach them a lesson. Maybe, the won't even accomplish to intercept us, like the last time...

Suddenly, multiple contacts were called out, 11 and 12 o'clock low. There they are! A large formation of Hurricanes were in a directly head on with the Stukas below us. I fight my first instinct of diving down and hold my position at the leaders 5 o'clock. The Major gave insistent orders to maintaint course and altitude! After the Hurricanes had past beneath us and made a first run through the Stukas in head on, which was not so destructive, we turned around and made use of our energy advantage. We dove down and the hunt started. In a first attemped, we were much to fast and the Major pulled up again. We went into a large right hand turn with the Stukas at our low 3 o'clock. Now, multiple contacts between us and the Stukas. We carefully picked out targets and dove again. I followed the Major on the next attack run, we he could set some hits into a Hurricane. This one didn't break away were hardly, so I could make some hits too. After this run, I lost visual with Major Pitti and search for him or the next opponent. I then saw a Hurricane sneaking up behind the Stukas in a steady line, focused only on the kill. Very bad, chap, very bad. I went down on him and shot his radiator in peaces. He made an adeasive manouver and went into a stall. I didn't pursuit him, because he was no threat any more.

After that, I managed to regroup with the Major and we circled again to regain situational awareness. The next victim, a Hurricane, came in sight and again, we dove to attack. I was directly bhind the Major and through my Gunsight I could see him lining up and shoot. Good hits! This one went into a small righthand break and I was setting myself up for the kill, when I saw the pilot bail. This was the kill, I was able to confirm. Some guy from No.501 squadron.

After that we circled again in the area and regained altitude. After some time, a Hurricane was shout out to be behind us. I went into a right hand climb and the enemy tried to follow me, but I outclimbed him and he stalled away. I didn't try to get him and stayed at height.

Suddenly, I was warned to have a six an my tail and I started manouvering. But I didn't see the enemy when suddenly my radiator was hit. Then I saw a Hurricane behind my. Fortunatelly, this Hurricane was chased by my comrade HuffDuff in his 109 and he cleared my tail. This happened at 3500m near Manston. Immediatelly, I pushed too full throttle and engaged WEP to climb as heigh as possible. I achieved 4500m until my engine started to sputter. I reduced to prop pitch to 9:30 and the throttle to zero, to glide back home. When I reached the french coast line at Wissant, I had still 1000m of height left. The engine was still running and every other system except the radiator was ok. So I set the pitch to 12:00, depleyed flaps and set the power for a nice landing at Pihen.

To draw a balance for todays mission, I damaged two Hurricanes badly, so that they had ro return to their base without keeping up the fight and I acchieved to return to base savely. And I am still alive since the invasion of France began!

[Aurora]

Mission Date: 20-07-1940 1340-1417

Name: Aurora
Rank: Gefreiter
Unit: 4./JG26
Aircraft: Bf-109 E3
Markings: White 19
Aerodrome: Marquise West
Status: Pilot: bailed just off of Calais Marck port / Aircraft: lost
Victory Claims: none

[Trautloft]

Mission Date: 20.07.1940

Name: Trautloft
Rank: Hauptmann
Unit: 6./JG26
Aircraft: Bf-109 E-1
Markings: Brown 8
Aerodrome: Marquise
Status: Launcher.....
Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

[Madigan]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Madigan
Rank: Obergefreiter
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: Bf109 E-4
Markings: Black 20
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: KIA / OK
Aircraft Status: Lost / Damaged
I took off from Marquise west , added the 2nd swarm prepare myself with gray patrolling the aerian of Calais and later escorted a group of Stukas , at an approximate elevation of 4500 meters we noticed a high number of Hurricanes and Spits after situate at 6 o'clock in Grey with intent to protect him from several opponents sobrovolamos quite high until we spotted a lone Spitfire and trying to shoot , my partner lost sight .. at which corrected my drift and I attacked him .. I think my first blast hit him in his right wing .. the time I lost in a cluster of clouds and noting that Grey was trying to attack him again I stood back to back six to protect him , was not as well as she appeared again and shot me and hurt me , even without observing any damage to my plane I felt the pressure and lost the engine did not have the power .. I went to England to land , and came to Manston and 30 miles unoas I spotted a group of ships , on which were several Hurricanes flying over them, he attacked but ultimately failed engine which used a Spit and knocked me ..

[Syno]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Syno
Rank: Obergefreiter
Unit: 6./JG26
Aircraft: Bf109 E-1
Markings: Brown 10
Aerodrome: Marquise
Status: RTB / Plane lightly damaged, Pilot OK
Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
-	-	-	-	-

[Coolhand]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Cool-Hand
Rank: Lieutenant
Unit: 4./JG-26
Aircraft: BF-109E3
Markings:White 9
Aerodrome:Marquis- West
Status: Landed, Smoking Cigar drinking Scotch
Victory Claims:

14:40	Off coast of Calaise	Spitfire	No.64	Confirmed by Chumleigh or anyone on the beach near Calaise
-	-	-	-	-

Saw Spitfire trailing wounded aircraft after protracted engagement, couldn't let this continue, ran him down knocked off aileron and various pieces, leaking oil and coolant aircraft went into the drink. Damaged many of Spitfires Near Ramsgate/ Hells Corner area.

[DaHeld]

Datum der Mission: 20. Juli 1940

Name: DaHeld
Rang: Hauptgefreiter
Einheit: 6./JG 26
Flugzeug: Bf 109E-1
Markierung: braune 12 + -
Flugfeld: Marquise
Status Flugzeugführer: i. O.
Zustand des Flugzeugs: Bruch, linkes Fahrgestellbein bei der Notlandung weggeknickt, Zelle wiederherstellbar

Abschüsse: keine

Wir sind mit etwas Verspätung vom Platz gestartet. Durch ein Problem am Flugzeug kam die Startreihenfolge durcheinander, wodurch sich der 2. Schwarm unter der Führung von Hptm. Trautloft erst in der Luft zusammenfinden konnte.
Kurz vor dem Ziel der Bomber und den Feind bereits in Sichtweite begann mein Motor zu stottern. Ich war wohl zu lange im Vollgas unterwegs gewesen, um zu meinem Schwarm aufzuschließen...
Unverrichteter Dinge musste ich umkehren und steuerte auf direktem Wege Peuplinges an. Etwa 5-10 km vor dem Platz versagte mein Motor vollkommen. Um es bis zum Platz zu schaffen, fuhr ich die Klappen nur ein kleines Stück weit aus, weswegen ich aber im Endteil sehr schnell war, wodurch es zur Überlastung des Fahrgestells kam. Es knickte einseitig weg, wodurch meine Maschine beschädigt wurde. Mir selbst ist dabei Gott sei Dank außer ein paar Schrammen nichts passiert.
Ich schnappte mir den UvD. der Fahrbereitschaft und ließ mich heim kutschieren, um auf die Ankunft der Kameraden zu warten.

[MarLeo]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: MarLeo
Rank: Gefreiter
Unit: 6./JG26
Aircraft: Bf 109-E1
Markings: Brown 1
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: Wet but alive
Aircraft Status: Lost - Didn't want to swim back home

Victory Claims: none

[Grey]

Mission Date: 20th July 1940

Name: Grey
Rank: Uffz
Unit: 5./JG26
Aircraft: Bf19-E4
Markings: Black 1 / Ace of spades
Aerodrome: Marquise
Pilot Status: POW
Aircraft Status: Lost

Victory Claims:

Time	Place	Aircraft	Opponent	Confirmed
20:30	Ramsgate	Hurricane	it doesn't matter	By the British I think, there was no one else!

Not sure if it went down. Too much confusion..

(sorry guys, I made this one on my android cel.)

Interrogation; I ain't saying anything except I'm Uffz Franz Grey 033948 of the 5.JG26 Born in East Prussia

O yea just this; there was only 2 of us left in the air of the 5th, Krass and Burma and they were looking for me , at the same time I made a mistake engaging 2 Hurries when 5 other Tommies were in the cloud cover that I didn’t know of, I fired with my canons at one of those 2, until his radiator popped, my aim was of, otherwise he would've been heavily injured or worse...In any case I was pretty sure he wasn't gonna fly very long so.. All out of nothing I saw multiple contacts and here’s what happened!

I dived to the deck in the hope they wouldn't see me, Bad luck for me the 5 contacts I saw went in pursuit. A glorious dog-fight was born with David against goliath, with me in the role as David but with an unforeseen ending..
Got some hits on a couple of them, but couldn't see if any were lethal (except for an other radiator), cause I had many other things on my mind. It sure took them very long to bring the fatal bullet to my engine, the dog fight seemed to take 1 hour, for me anyways!

At the end, I gave up fighting and started waggling my wings in the hope the Tommies would stop firing to ditch my bird in a kind chin-up of way. Gentlemen as they were they escorted my bird into the waves without firing another single shot! I own them my life! They even send me a rescue boat, I’m going to get a good treat here! I think you chaps may bring in the cognac now if you please!




Ramsgate after the hopeless pursuit, just picked out of the water at around 20:45