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20/21 April 1944 Luftwaffe losses

Discussion in 'Information Requests' started by joe fukuto, Nov 22, 2012.

  1. joe fukuto

    joe fukuto recruit

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    Hello All,
    I'm trying to gather info on bomber losses for early morning 21 April 1944 - Possibly Ju188s. If I can confirm any one of 4 possible claims for that morning we might be able to add a name to the American Aces list.
    That morning, "Happy" Holland, flying with 605 squadron, failed to return from the sortie. A German aircrew, who crashed near the site of Holland's crash, told of how they were downed by a mosquito that he felt had also downed 3 others before him. Holland is credited with 4 kills up to that point. Going by what the German said, he could have as many as 8 but even one would be enough to give him Ace status. Thanks in advance for any help I receive.

    Joe
     
  2. Erich

    Erich Alte Hase

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    Joe can you include for us crash sites and more personal info maybe on the German crew like the unit and names ?
     
  3. joe fukuto

    joe fukuto recruit

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    Sure thing, and thanks! Unfortunately, this is all I have, might be enough.

    From his page:
    "At 11 minutes after midnight on April 21 1944, Mosquito VI NS 928 departed Manston for an Intruder Op to Handorf airbase in northeast Germany, a distance of about 450 kms. Happy Holland was pilot with F/O R. Howard “Wilkie” Wilkinson as navigator. At about 2:00 a.m. the Mosquito and a German night fighter described as an ME188 (probably a Ju188) crashed in mid-air. The latter, based at Handorf, crashed near Everswinkel, about 10 km southeast of Munster in northeast Germany. The German crew bailed out successfully. Holland’s plane crashed into the Gross-Beckman farm house of Herr Spitterhover, located about 20 km north of Everswinkel."
    "...described the crash and a subsequent meeting with the German pilots. They thought the Mosquito had rammed them. Also, they thought the Mosquito was the only enemy aircraft in the area that night and had been responsible for bringing down four aircraft including theirs."
    There's a little more info here if you need it : Glen Holland
     

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