October 1944 Teething Problems for the P-51s

For October, 23 missions, including six small P-47 missions, were flown on 17 days. Twenty-one were escorts to heavy bombers, one was a P-51 fighter sweep on the 24th, and one was a P-47 which was aborted on the 30th. Losses for the month were six P-51s. On the 3rd, one pilot bailed out over France after losing oil pressure, and another pilot landed in the Brussels area after losing his coolant.

The new planes were having their teething problems. On the 18th, one pilot bailed out 35 miles WSW of Koblenz after loss of coolant. On the 24th, a P-51 lost its propeller, and the pilot bellied in 40 miles southeast of Hamburg, and another pilot, last seen near Bremen, failed to return for unknown reasons. Final loss of the month was the strangest. A 351st pilot, lacking oxygen, let down with his flight between a box of B-17s and a box of B-24s. Gun fire from the ball turret of a B-24 struck his plane, and the pilot was forced to bail out 3 to 4 minutes later near Terschelling Island, where he landed safely and got into his dinghy.

There was no better demonstration of air war conditions than the Group’s claims for the month. Strafing claims totaled:

• 44-56 locos,
• 85-130 rail cars,
• 2-5 motor vehicles and
• 1-0 gun positions, plus only
• 4-3 enemy aircraft on the ground.

Me 262 Shootdown

In the air, October’s total claims were a measly 1-0-0. That one victory, however, was in itself an achievement - the destruction of a German jet-propelled Messerschmitt Me 262, the fourth to fall to a fighter of the USAAF, and the second Me 262 to be destroyed by the 8th Air Force. The Group mission report for 6 October gives the details as follows:

“On way out from the bomber escort mission to Hamburg (flown by 17 P-47s led by Capt. Price), Seldom Squadron (350th) was approaching Rheine Airfield from the west when, about one half way down the east-west runway, a cloud of dust was observed. At the same time an Me 262 was seen going south across the field at about 3,000 feet. Lt. C. W. Mueller pulled in behind it and in passing over the airfield noticed 2 light tan chutes, fully opened, obviously coming from the Me 262. The E/A orbited to the left, passing outside of the town of Rheine, continuing his left orbit, and approaching the east-west runway from the east. When about a half mile east of the field, the Me 262 went into a dive for the strip. At the beginning of the orbit, Lt. Mueller used water injection, but only 45 inches HG could be gotten. Two or three deflection bursts were given but no strikes observed. A moment after the last burst two small objects were seen to break away from the E/A, surrounded by either a hazy white smoke or spray.”

The mission report goes on to state this aircraft was destroyed, and that during the entire engagement another Me 262 was observed on the tail of Lt. Mueller’s P-47.

Operations for the last two months of 1944 were carried out on a somewhat weather-restricted but steady pace. In November there were 22 missions on 17 days, all escorts but two strafing and one test mission. In December there were also 22 missions but on 18 days, all escorts, including four small escorts of photo recon and radar countermeasure planes, and one fighter sweep on the 27th.

Ch 24

Ch 26