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#1
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Captured A/C Shootdown?
For example the Germans captured many Allied aircraft and test flew and demonstrated them in their own markings. Were any ever shot down? A P-61 shot down a Luftwaffe-flown KG 200 B-17 in early 1945. It had been involved in dropping German agents in American uniforms. The "Böing" was found after crashing and the (7? I think) survivors of the crew gave their captors information about their mission. v/r Gordon ====(A+C==== USN SAR Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send your old photos to a reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone. |
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Does anyone know of any captured aircraft from any war that while being test flown by the capturing force was attacked and shotdown its previous owners or allies? The Japanese army's 64th Sentai captured and made airworthy two RAF Hurricanes at Palembang, the Dutch Indies (Indonesia). The vertical tail was painted white after an incident in which other Japanese pilots attacked the Hurricanes. In March 1942 they were flown to Bangkok and then to Chiang Mai in Thailand, where the 64th Sentai was to be based for the final push on Burma. The intention was to use them in "werewolf" raids on RAF bases in Burma. Before this could be carried out, both were destroyed by the AVG strafe of Chiang Mai on March 24, 1942. As it happens, I just finished a page on the Werewolf Hurricanes that I will be posting when I update the Annals of the Flying Tigers on February 1. all the best -- Dan Ford email: see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com |
#4
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Does anyone know of any captured aircraft from any war that while being test
flown by the capturing force was attacked and shotdown its previous owners or allies? I have just heard of a story about a P-47 pilot named Fred Hillis who is supposedly credited with 4 German built aircraft and one German flown American aircraft, another P-47. The enemy flown P-47 was unmarked and had just shot down an American P-47. I had never heard of this incident before and so far Hillis is not mentioned in Olynyk's Stars and Bars or my copy of the American Fighter Aces Album from 1979. I suppose it could be another example of fratricide? John Dupre' |
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I have just heard of a story about a P-47 pilot named Fred Hillis who is supposedly credited with 4 German built aircraft and one German flown American aircraft, another P-47. The enemy flown P-47 was unmarked and had just shot down an American P-47. It was very common for aviators to confuse the FW 190 with the P-47. P-61s attacked Mosquitos ("Bad SHOW!" over the radio), P-51Bs = Bf 109s, the list goes on and on. One of the most advanced radars was being flight tested with a crew of engineers onboard and unfortunately, they were shot down by Allied fighters, killing all onboard. Friendly fire is all to often completely ignored in WWII histories, but it was a part of everyday life. I had never heard of this incident before and so far Hillis is not mentioned in Olynyk's Stars and Bars or my copy of the American Fighter Aces Album from 1979. Frank's got a brand new version - very well done too. v/r Gordon ====(A+C==== USN SAR Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send your old photos to a reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone. |
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It was very common for aviators to confuse the FW 190 with the P-47. P-61s attacked Mosquitos ("Bad SHOW!" over the radio), P-51Bs = Bf 109s, the list goes on and on. In Burma, an RAF Hurricane shot down a "Zero" that proved to be a PR Hurricane painted dark blue. In China, an AVG pilot in a P-40 shot down a B-25 Mitchell thinking it was a Japanese bomber. Happily the crew was able to bail out safely. They reported that they had been attacked by "Zeros". all the best -- Dan Ford email: see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com |
#7
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In China, an AVG pilot in a P-40 shot down a B-25 Mitchell thinking it was a Japanese bomber. Happily the crew was able to bail out safely. They reported that they had been attacked by "Zeros". Par for the course... On the Stormbirds website, the author of the Hillis piece goes into some detail about how captured Allied fighters 'infiltrated' US formations: yet another example of the confusion of aerial combat. No German unit operating captured Allied aircraft tried this - instead, just as we had done with theirs, the incredibly rare turncoats that were in good enough condition to be returned to flying status (propellers were nearly always dinged, engines damaged in crashes, etc.) were used to train LW pilots on the capabilities and characteristics of the enemy aircraft and as such, they were priceless. It should be noted that when turncoat aircraft were actually used operationally in battle areas (B-17s primarily), it was done so at night, to minimize their exposure to enemy fighters. Sending them up to tag along with Allied formations would be literal suicide. As for the report of a "German P-47" attacking other US fighters without markings, the "Luftwaffe pilot" would be a target for absolutely everyone else in the sky - there would be no "friends or foes", just a sky filled with foes and every flak gun on either side of the lines would be shooting at it. Imagine us sending a captured MiG 15 up to battle other MiG 15s over the Yalu. Stripping such an event down to its most basic likely explanation, this is either a tragic friendly fire episode, or (every bit as likely) just plain poor recognition of an e/a in the middle of a cloudy day. Its happened before and since. v/r Gordon ====(A+C==== USN SAR Donate your memories - write a note on the back and send your old photos to a reputable museum, don't take them with you when you're gone. |
#9
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"JDupre5762" wrote in message ... Does anyone know of any captured aircraft from any war that while being test flown by the capturing force was attacked and shotdown its previous owners or allies? I have just heard of a story about a P-47 pilot named Fred Hillis who is supposedly credited with 4 German built aircraft and one German flown American aircraft, another P-47. The enemy flown P-47 was unmarked and had just shot down an American P-47. I had never heard of this incident before and so far Hillis is not mentioned in Olynyk's Stars and Bars or my copy of the American Fighter Aces Album from 1979. I suppose it could be another example of fratricide? John Dupre' See: http://www.stormbirds.com/hillis/tboltkill.htm Cheers. |
#10
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(JDupre5762) wrote: Does anyone know of any captured aircraft from any war that while being test flown by the capturing force was attacked and shotdown its previous owners or allies? For example the Germans captured many Allied aircraft and test flew and demonstrated them in their own markings. Were any ever shot down? I am not considering aircraft captured or purchased from a capturing force that were so numerous as to be put into actual operational service, i.e. the numerous Polikarpovs and Tupolevs of Finland. John Dupre' Strangers in a Strange Land by Hans-Henri Stapfer mentions a captured B-17 flown by KG 200 as being shot down by an RAF Mosquito Night Fighter over France in Feb of '45. Posted via www.My-Newsgroups.com - web to news gateway for usenet access! |
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