Northop P61-B "Black Widow"

will continue with the 425th NFS through eve of the 21st of December 1944

December 18, 1944 op # 121

3 P-61's

# 49 Montmeat 0 on patrol, shot up 1 Mt neat St. Wendel
# 71 Colley 0 on patrol, 2 chases both lost. strafed lights alon the Mosel river
# 70 Slayton 0 on patrol

6 P-61's on Rhubarb

# 82 Lewis 7 attacks on scattered MT's east and west of of Kaiserslautern 6 destroyed ? damaged
# 39 Ornsby 7 attacks on 1 convoy with 7 destroyed and 10 damaged. ( not sure of type). between Ehrang-Traben-Traubach
# 37 W.S. Andrews 2 attacks on covoys, claimed 4 MT plus.
# 82 Thompson 0 on patrol, shot up lights at A/F at Hoppstadten ?
# 39 different pilot - Buck shot up MT's neat St. Wendel

2407 rounds of 20mm used.

December 19, 1944 Op # 122 Bad weatehr - NO operations flown

December 20, 1944 Op # 123 heavy Ground Haze

# P-61's

# 70 Thompson 0 on patrol. Enemy A/C lost due to violent evasive action over Luxembourg
# 76 Peterson Aborted due to Radio Failure.
# 74 Colligan 0, lost in IAZ, strafed 1 MT twice

367 rounds of 20mm used.

December 21, 1944 Op # 124

Bad weather - NO operations flown

 

Eric
Great information. It looks like this was a busy time over eastern France.

 

more coming this week, take what you want if it helps understand the histories of the 2 P-61 units . . . .

 

alright this is where the microfische(s) are starting to be worn and hardly copyable.

422nd NFS

December 18/19 1944

"A" 135B, operation # 93 Defensive patrol under GCI control

10 P-61 weather 9/10 to 10/10

# 36 0 had 6 chases, defective A-I set
# 44 0 lost 2 Bogies to window and too evasive to follow along the Rhine
# 73 0 had 1 chase along VII Corps and along the Rhine
# 68 0 along V Corps and the Rhine
# 34 0 along V Corps and the Rhine
# 58 0 had 5 chases, 1 Friendly and then divereted to A/F A-92
# 43 diverted to B-58

# 34 second mission, pilot Siegle diverted to A-84, crashed off Runway, crew unhurt, P-61 wrecked but slavaged.

# 36 0 had 2 chases diverted to A-92
# 32 pilot D. Alliee crashed 5 miles south of A-84, both crew members Killed, ground fog and visibility down to 0.

December 19, 1944

"A" operation # 6 weather 8/10ths

A-20 # 9671 dropped 4 bombs on Dreiborn at Angels 3
A-20 # 9935 dropped 4 bombs on harperschied at Angles 2 1/2

December 20, 1944

"A" 136B, Op # 14D 0 Negative

December 21, 1944

"A" 137B 0 Negative

December 22, 1944

"A" 15D, Op # 138B though this should be reversed........ 0 Negative

 

December 22/23, 1944

"A" 139B Op # 73 Defensive Patrols and Intruder

# 73 weather reecon flight in Malmedy/St. Vith areas then back to base; 1427 to 1505 hrs.
second mission from 1613 to 1638 hrs strafed and made 3 passes on an armored and MT column. 150 rounds of 20mm.

# 40 aborted due to bad weather, looking and in search for German armored column.
# 68 Bent weapon - returned to base in 3/10 cloud
# 44 0 on defensive patrol Id 1 Lancaster , weather diverted crew to B-58. time up 1910 to 2135 hrs.

# 65 pilot Elmore engaged a LW Me 110G. destroyed it, but the P-61 was damaged. P-61 diverted to B-58 due to bad weather. time up 1957 to 2136 hrs. 250 rounds of 20mm used. Possibly a 110 from 4./NJG 5 ?

December 24, 1944

"A" 140B Op 2E Weather Recon and Defensive Patrol CAVU

3 P-61's

# 68 weather recon during the day for 1 hr, 30 minutes.
# 58 0 on patrol, weather recon
# 44 0 on patrol, 1 visual on a Mosquito. time up 2 hrs, 20 minutes.

 

For your collective interest here is a list of 425th flyers who were killed during this period and are still buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery near St Avold France:
Emil J Brolick

 

previous post got cut off before I finished ........ I'll try again.

Flyers of the 425th NFS killed during this period and still buried in the Lorraine American Cemetery
near St Avold France:

Brolick, Emil J 2Lt (IL) O-551579 killed 27 Dec 44 AM/OLC, PH
Byars, Carl H 1 Lt (CO) O- 747206 killed 27 Dec 44 DFC, AM/2 OLC, PH
Hughes, Andrew H Maj (NJ) O-901846 killed 18 Nov 44 PH
Ormsby, Cletus T 1LT (IA) O-753718 killed 24 Mar 45 AM/5 OLC
Werner, John A 2Lt (NJ) O-870621 killed 5 Dec 44 AM, PH
Yule, Robert J 2 lT (TX) O-754575 killed 18 Nov 44 AM, PH

I visited this cemetery some years ago. there are 10,000 American Servicemen buried there. a very
impressive place.

 

E. Brolick fell on a missions and shot down by ? or ? I'll cover Byars death when I get to that date. As well as Ormsby

 

425th NFS 21/22 December 1944

OP # 125 solid overcast below 4,000', clear above

3 A/C

# 49 Glasser on recee but impossible due to weather. picked up 20 friendlies dropping window (?) received some Flak
# 84 Sartanowicz had 8 chases and 4 A-I contacts, visuals went into clouds. Recon impossible due to terrible weather.
P-61 A-10 # 39395 Ormsby had 1 visual but lost in overcast.

2 A/C on Rhubarb

# 39 Slayton had 0 on patrol around Zweibrucken
# 82 Gray had 0 on patrol due to lousy weather in the area of Buschfeld-Neunkirchen.

22/23 December 1944

Op # 126, 9 A/C

8 chases, 10 contacts, 1 visual all craft 0 on patrol

# 76 Stewert had 1 A-I contact, 1 visual on a Ju 88 40 (?) miles East of Etain but lost it due to mechanical failure.
# 39 Buck had 2 chases, 0 on patrol due to faulty weapons system.
P-61 A-10 Byars had 3 chases no A-I contacts, o on patrol

2 P-61 on Rhubarb over Bad Kreuznach/Oberstein-Hohfelden

P-61 A-10's strafed lights along hi-way and railraod noted 3 explosiions, the other P-61 strafed 2 Turkcs and convoy. noted and picked up a abogey over A-82 Airifield but had equipment fialure-0 contact.

628 rounds of 20mm used.

 

Brolick was the R/O on #5584 with Byars piloting on Dec 27 when, returning from a mission, he mistakenly
approached field A 94 instead of their home field A 82 (about 12 miles to the NW). Friendly fire shot them down thinking they were an FW 189 which has a similar profile to a P61. #5584 was demolished.
P61 #5583 was MIA over France Nov 18 44. Given that is the death date of A Hughes and R Yule I assume that was their plane.

 

interesting that the microfische does not get into this much detail but then again maybe not. Allied ground forces should of known the Fw 189 was non-existant by this time even over the Ost front a story I do not personally by. in any regards what a waste of a fine NF crew.

more coming.

 

Thanks to both of you for your informations! Its always great to read more about this great topic.

 

Ulrich glad you are enjoying the reading. as I said am sure things are left out as both microfishce are/were in terrible shape to copy. the stuff is buried right at the moment with LW Nachtjäger materials on top as I am trying to cross check P-61 claims with actually German LW losses in December of 44. Again the LW NF arm lost more night fighters in December 44 than any other month of the war to a huge variety of causes .......

 

23/24 December 1944 425th NFS

Op # 127

7 P-61's on Night Fighter Intercepts and Armed Recee

# 70 Bradshaw strafed 1 small town
# 82 Woolley Strafed lights East of Lesheim on Airfield
# 49 Sartanowicz chased an Me 110 East of Hohfelden heading East at 210mph. Took evasive, violent action down to 2,500 feet altitude but lost in the haze...........0.
# 84 Montmeat 0, lost 2 chases.

# 49 W.A. Andrews Ju 188 (?) at 11,000 feet, 190mph in Oberstein area. GCI had 22 miles from P-61. A-I contact at 5 miles came up from below to port to I.D. Dropped back to 300 feet and fired into fuselage, enemy A/C took a sharp turn to port. Andrews fired again a deflection shot into the port engine and the fuselage. Aircraft then bore into a steep dive and flames and then crashed.

# 82 Church 2 chases at 290mph and 210 mph, but lost in the Moon glow. Hit by US AA and damaged the right side of the P-61.
# 49 second mission Ornsby at the controls, strafed 1 train North of Neunkirchen. 0 on Patrols.


5 A/C on Rhubarb-Intruder

# 37 second mission Church at the controls, 0 on Patrol
# 70 Glasser target area B/O, fired into buildings in Hillstein
# 39395 Byars fired into Lebach, had 2 chases, last one was a B-24 which fired on the P-61 and shot out the right engine, the P-61 was crash-landed and burst into flames as a total loss.
# 39 Slayton shot up an ammo train and railroad cars - 14 + cars from 1840 to 1923 hrs.
# 39 second repeat mission with Bradshaw at the controls. strafed a Motor transport convoy destroyed 2 MT and damaged 5.

24/25 December 1944 425th NFS

Op #128 CAVU

10 P-16's had 6 contacts, 17 chases, 3 visuals

# 74 Neiswender 2 chases, 1 friendly 1 Me 410 (?) lost due to evasive action.
# 49 Church 0, over Metz
# 84 Glasser 0, A/C too low an altitude
# 81 Sartanowicz 0, A/C too low in altitude, circuits went bad
# 74 Slayton 1 contact with enemey aircraft, but was involved with US AA unit which nearly shot him down., 0.

# 84 second mission Ormsby claims a Do 217 ( most likely not) at 0115hrs. at 5,000 feet altitude then down to 500 feet at 300 feet at 200 mph, fired a long burst into starboard engine. right wing and engine on fire, the aircraft went into a spin and crashed. 2 chutes were seen. time " 2394 to 0204 hrs. Enemy may have been a Ju 88G-1 ?

# 50 Buck 2 chases but lost by GCI
# 49 Colligan 2 chases, lost by GCI, 1 chase lost - too low an altitude thenA-I went out.
# 50 Sartanowicz his second mission. 1 chase lost by GCI, 1 A-I contact at 9,000 feet at 210 mph but lost due to A-I spinner stack. Strafed light(s) in the area N.E. of Trier neat Wittlich.
# 76 Glasser his second mission up. 2 chases called off - IAZ and A-I contact lost enemy aircraft which took evasive action and was too low in altitude. Strafed a Rotary Beacon.

 

December 24/25, 1944 422nd NFS

"A" 141B, Op # 94 CAVU, ground haze

Defensive patrols and Intruder under GCI control

# 43 J. Anderson on a defensive patrol on Mosell River, St. Vith, Monschau and beyond at Angles 5. Contact at 3 miles at 800 feet I.D. as a Ju 88 (?) gave 2 bursts o fire into the wing roots but cannons jammed. P-61 dove on the enemy aircraft to force it to the ground. Got to 500 feet altitude and the cannons worked again, fired into the right engine which started smoking but ran out of ammo. Ju 88 lost altitude in a lazy orbit.
German Luftwaffe account from rear gunner/radio operator Ofw. Alfred Siewert of 11./NJG 6 in a Bf 110G-4 puts in a claim of 1 P-61 damaged S.E. of Luxembourg at 01.50hrs. time up for the P-61 was 1830-2005 hrs.

# 40 0, 2 chases, 1 Mosquito, saw a Ju 88 but was being chased by another P-61 - see above - Fired on this Ju 88 in a curve but missed and lost it.
# 77 0 on the Moselle, /St. Vith, Monschau, had 2 contacts, no visuals from 2006 to 2214 hrs.
# 44 Smith 0 visual on an A-20 along front lines of Monschau.
# 36 0 along the Meuse river, Monschau with bent weapon from 2153 to 2253 hrs.
# 43 0, lost contact
# 58 Johnson overshot a Ju 87D which went to the deck. strafed a railhead at St. Vith, Prom at 1000 feet altitude down to 500 feet. noted explosions in a warehouse and along rr tracks, 10 rr cars, 1 loco and 1 MT damaged. time up 2127 to 2345 hrs.
# 40 1st mission at 0010-0207 hrs. along A/F A-78 and front lines, 1 5 mile contact could not follow along Meuse river to St. Vith and Angles 10.
# 68 1 visual on 1 jet (doubtful)
# 43 0 uneventful
# 44 Smith along the Meuse River to St. Vith at Angles 7, a 4 mile contact closed to within 500 feet to I.D. as a Ju 88. opened fire and hit right wing which started burning. closed to 200 feet and fired, enemy aircraft exploded, 1 chute seen. Ju 88 hit the ground in debris. time up 0540-0130 hrs.
# 68 second mission, o along the Meuse River and St. Vith, 3 chases. noted a jet flying too fast (doubtful). time up: 0638-0749 hrs.

"A" Op 3E, number 3 cloudless with 4 mile visibility and ground haze.

# 40 day recon flight of Marche, Ciny, Hotton, la Roche and Champion. time up 5540-1428 hrs
# 58 0 on defensive patrol over Düren, Monschau and the Rhine at Angles 11. strafed a 20 car train N.W. from 500 feet altitude, strafed 4 motor transports. time up: 1657 to 1900 hrs.

total rounds : 2265 of 20mm used

 

There was a lot of action along the German/French border at this time and astonishingly a lot of Lw-Nightfighter action.

 

USAAF serial number listing shows P61 #39395 "condemned salavage Dec 24 1944, no battle damage". A letter of the period from Byars brother (who was an A/C mechanic in the theater though not in the 9th AF) indicates that Byars was awarded the DFC for "landing on one wheel on Dec 24 1944".
The sky of arial combat was indeed a busy place and you saved your life and your crew's lives by firing first then determining friend or foe. I suppose that is what happened when he inadvertantly chased a B24.

 

let's remmber a couple of things here.

# 1 the microfishce copies of both US NF units was terrible to begin with when I copied them back in the 1980's.
# 2 the event for Byars was copied as per microfische date
# 3 to be honest what unit whether squadron or group size would want to admit that one of it's pilots got in to close to be nearly shot down by one of it's own fighters and or bombers.
# 4 more enlightening reading ahead including some sad tales of shooting down friendlies by P-61's. I have found through investigative research and personal interviews that the NF pilots were not the best in Identification friend or foe. Dealing with combat chaos in a night operational event is traumatic enough with not even seconds to spare, 100 % positive I.D. too many times could not be determined let alone the downing area of the victim. This goes for both sides of the conflict.

 

I make leather flying unit patches , and can make just about any of the USAAF NFS patches , contact me for info .
Johnny

 

I remember when I was fourteen I started building a P-61 Black Widow model by Revell. I never finished it, still sitting somewhere in my basement now. But I would like to go back and work on it once I get a break from college now that I read this thread!

P-61 is one of the greatest all time specially-designed aircraft in history, in my opinion. Truly the best night fighter of the war, tagged for tie with the Uhu and others. Beautiful airplane. I'm not as knowledgable about them in ETO I'm afraid, the one I am building was based in the Pacific somewhere. Need to retouch on that one.