(1 Focke Wulf Fw190 destroyed)

 

I was flying Red 1 on a sweep and Armed Recce to the Paderborn area. Control called me and stated that friends were mixing it in the Hengelo area. I had trouble in understanding the name and asked for a vector which brought me to the aerodrome East of Hengelo. I found three Spit. formations and investigated each without any luck. I patrolled in this area for a few minutes and was heading approx West at 6000 feet when I saw a lone Spit approx 4000 feet below on my Port side climbing by some low cloud. I saw an aircraft turn in behind him and recognized it as a FW 190. I called up and immediately went into a dive after it. The E/A saw me before I was anywhere in range and half-rolled for the deck. I did the same and ended up at approx 800 feet and slightly on his Starboard side and 800 yards behind. I jettisoned my tanks and closed the range. I was 300 yards astern and on the deck and the E/A did a steep climbing break to the right and I was able to close rapidly and fired from 100 yards closing to approx. point blank range, seeing strikes on the Starboard wing and small pieces fly off. I overshot the E/A and half rolled and he did the same and went back for the deck flat out. He seemed to pick up speed quicker than I at first but then I started to close the range again. He was about 350 yards ahead of me right on the deck and I followed slightly above and astern. Once again he did a steep break upwards and to the right. I repeated the same attack as at first opening fire from 100 yards and closing to point blank range I saw strikes on the Starboard wing. About half of the E/A was below my nose and my No.2 said he saw strikes at the wing root by the cockpit. The E/A half rolled again and I overshot and did the same. I came out and started to repeat the performance but the E/A went down and did a slight aileron turn and went straight in from approx 800 feet and blew up. 
Climbing up from this with my section I saw a 190 turn onto my No.2’s tail. I gave a break and he fired a burst from approx 500 yards at red 2. I gave chase from approx. 800 – 1000 yards but the e/a went into some low cloud and I lost him. 
     

I claim 1 Fw 190 destroyed.

 

F/L D.C. Fairbanks