(1/2 Focke Wulf Fw190 destroyed)

 

I was flying as Black 2 on a armed recce in the Bielefeld area and while the Squadron were flying on an Easterly course approx 20 miles S.W. of Osnabruck. Huns were reported N.E. of Rheine. White 4 then reported 6 long-nosed Fw 190's 2,000 ft above us on our port flying East and commencing to orbit to stbd in line astern. Black leader gave the order to attack and I made a climbing turn to port closing to 500 yds from the stbd of the leading e/a which then rolled on its back and spiralled down.

I followed and noticed two other Tempests below me already on the hun's tail, one of which was firing from line astern. The e/a pulled out at approx 2,500 ft and began a 20° dive to the East. When the Tempest in front of me broke off his attack. I closed to 600 yds from line astern and fired one 1-sec burst but saw no results. I was slowly decreasing the range when the hun dived below 10/10 cloud and levelled out approx 200 ft from the deck. I lost sight of him for a few seconds when the cloud obscured my view and when I saw him again he was flying straight and level approx 300 yards in front of me. I closed rapidly (IAS 450) to within 200 yds and fired one 1-sec burst allowing 2 - 3° deflection as he commenced a slight turn to stbd.

I saw approx 15 strikes over the cockpit on the starboard side of the fuselage below the cockpit. The stbd wing dropped and the e/a went straight in crashing in a wood believed to be approx 10 miles S.S.E. of the Dummer Lake. The hun did not jettison his L.R. Tank during the engagement. My cine-camera was exposed.

 

I claim 1 Fw 190 destroyed, shared with F/Sgt Crook.

 

P/O N.J. Rankin