Stevin : Wanted to inform you that I am helping author of the 303rd b.g. history Brian O'Neill with further exerpts from our sturmgruppen files for his second volume on the bomb group. In his first volume in 1999 he covered the bomb group at length during the January 11, 1944 battle, in it many of the vets stated they saw yellow/black checkered colwling on the attacking Fw 190's. I am pursueing this of course, which leads me to bleieve they were 3./JG 1 machines, also coloured striped cowling which would mean other I. gruppe units as well. The volume is through McGraw Hill and is titled "Half a Wing, Three Engines and a Prayer. My copy is soft cover and is about 1 1/4 thick with some very interesting first person accounts with the start of their flights over the reich in 1943 and finishing up in this volume with an overview of Big week in February 44. Good read..... E
Hi Erich, Got the book on the shelf...with some well read chapters 31 and 32...Indeed a good read. I believe the only PFF ship from the 482nd BG that was lost that day flew with the 303rd. I had a short e-mail exchange with Mr. O'Neill a while back. He is interested in any details about this ship which went down in the Zuiderzee (now called IJsselmeer). No joy on that one so far from my side. There must be still dozens of them down there. It is amazing the details that some vets can remember. The coloring of the cowlings is a Godsent for a researcher. I haven't been that lucky yet. I am looking forward to his next volume. Also looking forward to Barry Smith's Sturmgruppe 1 book! Thnx for the note Erich! As for those THREE PFF ships to go down in one BG; IF that happened, it must have been 1st Air Division, but I seriously doubt that. Based on the records I have...
SAtevin : I think you are absolutely right there has to be many at the bottom of the ocean as well as many Luftwaffe fighters. Still searching for the 3 PPF's as well and find it frustrating as I expected the III./ZG 26 KTB months ago and haven't heard from my German contacts for quite some time. Must be having fun playing somewhere in the Alps. haven't heard from Barry Smith either so can only expect this fall or winter at the earliest on his massive work. E
I think Barry wrote his deadline with his publisher was sometime march/april. But I don't think he was sure he was going to make it. And then the time it takes to get it to the store... He sent me a great article on the Jan.11 airbattle from Die Wehrmacht. German propaganda piece but really interesting... Unfortunately I wasn't able to give him conclusive evidence as to some claims of Sturmstaffel 1. Got close, but gut-feelings don't count.... Hope your KTB will arrive soon. I hate that kind of anticipation...And if they are playing in the Alps...Why aren't I!?
