(1 Messerschmitt 109 destroyed)

 

I was flying Red 2 on a scramble to Rheine. After leaving Rheine my section attacked a train N.E. of the town. On climbing after this attack we made a sweeping turn to the North East, and saw an Me 109 about 600 yds away approaching Red 1 from nearly astern. I warned my No 1 and broke hard to port in towards the hun. We met almost head on, with an oblique distance of 150 yds between us. The e/a made a 180° turn and I had no difficulty in turning inside him. The hun continued on a S.E. course, diving and weaving slightly. I was gaining on him fairly easy when three Me 109’s passed directly below me in the opposite direction. I fired a sanp burst at this gaggle but saw no result. While chasing the original hun I saw about five other in all. I closed steadily on the first hun to about 400 yds, and fired several short bursts from 400/200 yards, from about 5° to line astern, the e/a still taking evasive action. I saw strikes at the wing roots with smoke from one of two of the bursts. I closed in to about 150 yards and fired two long bursts. During the second burst there was a large explosion under the fuselage, which was the unjettisonned L.R. tank. By this time we were done to about 200 ft, and the e/a went into a 45° dive and went straight into the ground. I saw a large could of smoke rising. I did not use cine-camera.

 

I claim one Me109 destroyed.

 

F/S M.J.A. Rose