Air battle of 24 Dec. 1944 near Liege

[GroundPilot]

I have read much about the air battle of 24 December 1944
"Near Liege IV/JG 3 Attacked the 487th Bomb Group" and shot down the Air Leader, Brig. Gen. Frederick Castle's B-17. He was the Air Leader of over 2000 bombers that day.
I would very much like to see the Luftwaffe account of that incident.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Erich?

He is probably the guy to help you on this...

Erich you might as well set up a hotline!

 

[Erich]

you might want to be more specific and also look back on the SturmFw's thread I think I covered quite a bit of this long story about Castles demise. I have the whole thing not quite ready for our web-site ..... the 487th bg were slaughtered

 

[Erich]

side note just re-read the first person acct of the day on flight Journal web-site. A major point the vet states that the Fw 190 Sturms were making frontal attacks and funny this myth has been displayed in all reports and articles covering this mission. the fact is the Sturms were attacking von hinten - the rear which was standard SturmFw practice and is also quoted by IV.Sturm/JG 3 pilots that flew on this very mission ........

 

[lesofprimus]

Agreed Erich.... Ive read both situational reports as well.... How anyone can confuse a frontal attack with what actually happened is still beyond my grasp...

 

[GroundPilot]

Some number of men that were there have described a frontal attack. I have read all the accounts, the official reports, crash site reports and so on long ago. I wasn't with them but I saw them off and was there at return.
Many things that have happened are beyond "our" grasp.

Over my shoulder on TV they have not settled yet on who shot down the Red Baron.

I am not arguing either way. It's just that I have never seen a Luftwaffe account of the initial attack. It is has also been said that the Germans new of the mission and who was in the lead aircraft and went after that lead plane. Is it not a good tactic to take out the Commander.

 

[GroundPilot]

If you are the Erich I had quite a bit of correspondence with a few years ago
I am still waiting to see the Lufftwaffe accounts you have mentioned.
Of course realizing these do not carve this all in stone one way or the other.
Why would they. Look at the discrepansies concerning claimed kills on both sides!