It was a matter of Göttingen

72 a year ago, 27 September 1944, in the area of ​​the university town of Göttingen, the 445-I bomber air force of the USA was destroyed. A group of X-NUMX heavy bombers B-35 Liberator participated in a massive raid on the Henschel motor factory in Kassel. However, on the way to the goal, she fell into thick clouds and lost her course. Having missed 24 kilometers, the Americans, instead of Kassel, came to Gottingen. Realizing their mistake, they nevertheless bombed the city.

On the way back, they were attacked by interceptors from the 3 and 4 of the Luftwaffe fighter squadrons that had been fired. These squadrons were mainly armed with Fokke-Wulf FW-190A fighters in the Sturmbock version with enhanced armament and armor. Despite the fire of aerial shooters, they gave the Americans a real pogrom, knocking down the Liberators of the 25 in a matter of minutes.

The Mustang fighters, which accompanied the main bomber forces over Kassel, interfered with the complete destruction of the group. Hearing desperate calls for help on their headphones, they left their charges, whom no one had attacked, and hurried to Gottingen. With their appearance, the picture of the fight has changed dramatically, since the heavy and cumbersome “Sturmboki”, designed to fight bombers, could not fight on equal terms with high-speed “Mustangs”, besides, the Germans ran out of ammunition.

In the second phase of the battle, the Focke-Wulfs were subjected to the same rout as they had just committed to the Liberators. The Americans shot down 29 German fighters, while losing only one. However, it is quite possible that part of the victories attributed to the “Mustangs”, in fact, managed to score the arrows of the downed bombers.

The surviving top ten "Liberators" was to fly more than 600 kilometers to its Tibenham base in the UK. However, very few people succeeded, as almost all cars had serious damage. Two of them crashed on the territory of Belgium, two more - in France, two crews made emergency landings at the Manston fighter airfield and only four Liberators reached Tibenham. After inspection, three of them had to be written off as unrepairable. Thus, only one aircraft remained from the air group.

Of the crews of downed 107 bombers, people died, 121 jumped out with parachutes and were captured. 11 pilots who descended on parachutes were captured and killed by residents of Göttingen who avenged the death of their relatives and the destruction of their homes. Also killed the pilot downed "Mustang" Leon Lamb. The Germans lost the Focke-Wolf pilots in an air combat 18.

The leader of the 445-th bomber air group. The bright "anti-camouflage" was intended for better visibility and quick recognition of the commander's car by other crews. However, he, naturally, attracted the attention of enemy interceptors, who sought to destroy such machines in the first place.

Liberators shot down over Germany in 1944.

American-bombed plant in Kassel.

"Focke-Wulf" from the 3 th Fighter Squadron and "Mustang" from the 376 th Air Group who participated in the air battle over Göttingen. Drawings by Klaus Sundin.

Comments

[m262]

Thanks, interesting article.

[svp67]

Despite the fire from air gunners, they staged a real pogrom to the Americans, shooting down 25 Liberators in a matter of minutes.

Interesting and informative, thank you. The Germans are a serious adversary and they once did not forgive "caps". Without a normal fighter cover, they calmly destroyed groups of "pawns" and other bombers.

[Homo]

Quote: svp67

they calmly destroyed groups of "pawns"

A more detailed reference is possible.

[svp67]

Quote: Homo

A more detailed reference

What are the problems. Read Drabkin's book "I Fought in the Pe-2: Chronicles of Dive Bombers"

Departure was normal. They walked in tight formation, so that the wing of their aircraft was slightly behind the tail in front of the walking one and slightly to the side so as not to get into the satellite stream. Keep your order, do not think about anything else. We approached the target at an altitude of 4000 meters, dispersed. The fire was strong, but we bombed without losing a single plane. Since the fighters had a small fuel supply, they left with the first nines. Leading Ageev went a little further and began to turn his pancake into his territory, but he should have been more energetic ... As soon as we embarked on the reverse course, a group of German fighters, the Fokke-Wulf-190, fell upon us. Leading tried to break away from the fighters taking advantage of the fact that his plane had more powerful engines. In fact, he began to flee, leaving the rest of the group. Nine turned into a gut. The German fighters first overcame the left link, knocking down one after the other three Ignatov, Korpachev and Zaitsev link commanders. Then they cut down my far right. I went to the right link, but the left inside ... And then it began ... The fighter gave the queue, hit the right engine, the stick stood up. I began to lag. Two or three shells exploded in the cockpit. Shards cut my lip and left eyebrow. The navigator Peter Kukushkin collapsed to the floor. He was badly crippled: one eye was knocked out, the other could watch, but some nerves were cut and the eyelid did not rise. Instead of the left shoulder, pieces of meat ... Our unit commander Volodya Volkov goes ahead ... I gave the helm away and went down. From what angle the devil knows him. During the transition to the dive, weightlessness arose and the navigator lying on the floor surfaced. And both his eyes were closed, and instinctively he grabbed the handle of the emergency breakdown of the cap. The lantern tore off, I was almost sucked out of the cab ... ..... A couple of days passed, we are lying in the ward, there are about seven to ten of us. I look, they are introduced into the torn overalls of our commander, Ageev. He pretended not to know him. He got up and went to the toilet. After a while he went out. I say: “So you have not reached?” “No, I’ve been shot down at the very front line.” On this we parted.

[Aviator_]

Drabkin, of course, is a well-known author. His headlines are a bit straining, given without quotes "I fought the Panzerwaffe, I fought in the Il-2, I fought in the Po-2", etc. You might seriously think that Drabkin personally defeated everyone.

[Letnab]

Have you read all his books? As far as I understand, there he describes the memories of veterans, and not personal impressions.

[kig]

That's right. All his books are interviews with participants in the war, even from the German side. And not with generals, but with ordinary people.

[kytx]

experts explain plz signs on thin
three jackdaws - 3rd group
the number is also clear
what is the "wave" in the tail section?

[sandrmur76]

The wave indicates belonging to Fw 190 of II. (Sturm) /. IG 4 and IV. (Sturm) / JG 3.

[svp67]

Quote: kytx

what is the "wave" in the tail section?

Well, first of all, this is NOT "THINK", that is, not Bf-109. Well, what kind of "wave" see for yourself

[PKK]

And Librirators, aren’t the English bombers? They differed from the Amer B17 in a shorter range, but a greater payload.

[creak]

Quote: PKK

And the Librators, aren't the English bombers?

Liberator is an american heavy bomber In-24. The comparable British cars were Lancaster and Halifax.

[creak]

And another little-known episode on this subject ...
The Americans also got seriously in 1944 in June, but only on the territory of the USSR.
The Germans attacked the airfield at Poltava at night, where the American air group was based, which shuttled flights from Italy to Poltava and back on the way, having worked on targets in Germany.
The raid lasted about an hour, as a result of which 44 American bombers and 25 Soviet fighters were completely destroyed, 25 bombers were damaged.
But the Germans did not suffer losses, since anti-aircraft fire was ineffective, and Soviet night fighters were not there ...
The bombing of the same airfields in Mirgorod and Piryatin did not bring much damage, unlike Poltava.

[PKK]

Quote: kytx

experts explain plz signs on thin
three jackdaws - 3rd group

Fokker was never thin.
It is strange why the Luftwaffe pilots suffered such losses. Apparently there were beginners. Experienced people would not lose speed and substitute. The essays were over by that time, this was the difference from the Red Army aviation, the bet was not on aces but on the mass of pilots.

[Artem25]

The article indicates that this modification of the Fokers was heavy and unwieldy compared to the Mustangs. And the ammunition was running out.

[kytx]

190 is thin. not i came up

[svp67]

Quote: kytx

190 is thin. not i came up

Show me who? "190" was a "fock", a "focker". "Thin" like "yellow-bellied" it was always "Bf-109"

[BMP-2]

Quote: kytx

190 is thin

Here is one of two things: either attentiveness or memory failed. Since the numbers are correct, but their order is not!
Therefore, "thin" is correct all the same 109th.

[svp67]

Quote: PKK

It is strange why the Luftwaffe pilots suffered such losses. Apparently there were beginners

It is possible that they were very carried away by beating the bombers and missed the approach of the "horses", and they did not miss such a chance. "Speed, maneuver, fire"

[PKK]

Quote: kytx

what is the "wave" in the tail cha

The wave is a group symbol in the squadron.

[Partisan Kramaha]

Quote: kytx

190 is thin. not i came up

Thin is Messerschmitt Bf-109, he always was. Put a messer and a foker next to him, you will understand why our pilots gave him such a nickname.

[BOB044]

The article is interesting, in the bombing of the US Air Force, nothing has changed. 72 years have passed and they also bomb the wrong targets. It can be seen in their blood, they are miserable in a word.

[midshipman]

As I know, this bombing of US aircraft was on the squares. They also bombed and refineries in Romania. It was the same in Korea, Vietnam, and now in Syria. It is a pity, of course, of our allies. Remember the flights of our aviation (1st BF torpedo regiment) to Berlin in August 1941. Preparation for flights was thorough and thoughtful. I have the honor.

[INTA_VEGA]

Quote: midshipman

and now in Syria.

You are joking? Are Syria bombers using bombing on squares? And then we all slammed, we don’t even know where you got it from. It seemed to me that just our throws by the FABs as a whole link are an example of carpet bombing.

It is completely incomprehensible why did you recall our flights over Berlin? Since then, we managed to bomb both Afghanistan and Chechnya.
I absolutely do not understand how American preparation for flights can be worse than ours.

[Reklastik]

Quote: Artyom25

The article indicates that this modification of the Fokers was heavy and unwieldy compared to the Mustangs. And the ammunition was running out.

But it is interesting, could the "Messerschmidts" of later modifications on equal terms withstand the "Mustangs"? For some reason I got the impression that the Germans could not oppose any of their own fighters to the Mustangs: the engine power was not enough, or what?

[Alf]

More or less, only 109K could fight on equal terms with Mustang. It’s not even a matter of engine power, but rather aerodynamics. The fact is that the Mustang had a wing with a laminar profile, which ensured higher speed qualities. In addition, the Mustangs developed a maximum speed at an altitude of 7620 meters, where the 109th, designed for a height of 6000 meters, was already inferior to the 51st. Also, the 109th was inferior to the steed in terms of dive speed. When using the GM-1 and MW-50 systems, German speed data was pulled up to the Mustang, but these systems were not placed on the 109th and were used only in horizontal flight. Another plus to the horse-on American pilots were the Berger anti-overload suits. On modification D, Mustang got a lantern with a circular view, which the 109th until the end of the war could not boast of.

[unknown]

In addition to 109K, the FW-190A-9, which accelerated to 703 km / h and the FW-190D, could fight on equal terms with the Mustangs.
But those and others were released a little. The first is about 200.

[Moor]

The story is very interesting, thanks to the author. I would like to focus on the following: "Having missed 50 kilometers, the Americans, instead of Kassel, went to Göttingen. Realizing their mistake, they nevertheless bombed the city."
That is, the pilots were well aware that instead of a military target they were above a civilian target, but nevertheless devastate the bombers. Humanism is right over the edge rushing. I do not cherish the slightest reverence for the inhabitants of Germany during the Third Reich, but I perfectly understand the inhabitants of the city and their attitude towards the surviving pilots. For reference: many Germans of today are sure that Soviet aviation destroyed Hamburg and Dresden, and young Japanese claim that the atomic bombing is the work of the USSR. Funny thing - modern history textbooks

[INTA_VEGA]

Quote: Moor

For reference...

Did you ask young Germans and Japanese yourself? Stop believing journalistic cliches and repeat them.
Believe it or not - I specifically asked the Japanese about the bombing. Of the nine students, absolutely all of them answered that they were bombed by the Americans. On the street, ordinary young people answer the question "who dropped the bomb" like this: 5/10 - Americans, 4/10 - don't remember / don't know what the bomb is, 1/10 - "Russian traitors".

Quote: Moor

They found themselves above a civilian object, but nevertheless devastate the bombers.

Well, what do you dislike about this? There is a war under your enemies, in the hatches of a bomb, what does humanism have to do with it?
Note - you cannot turn the bombs back on - they still need to be dropped, otherwise there will not be enough fuel to get to the house.
Humanism is when you have a choice: hitlergenite-faustnik or stabbed with a bayonet, or flogged and released on all four sides. And when the whole city is in the sight, there are no individual users there - it’s easier to press the trigger.

[Mountain shooter]

The robbery in the sky over Germany cost the Americans dearly.

[INTA_VEGA]

The robbery cost the Germans cheap in Russia, few Americans bombed our cities.
No matter how we treat the Americans now - at that time they were our allies, who shed blood for the freedom and independence of Europe from the Nazi yoke. Do not forget that all anti-Soviet hysteria and the Cold War began after the Second World War.
But American pilots are simply sorry, it is better to die in battle than to be so torn to pieces.

[Molot1979]

Only here is one detail .... FIRST the Americans bomb the city, without interference, and only then the "serious adversary" "does not forgive them for their hatred attitude." Question: who needs it if the city has ALREADY been bombed? Although these pilots are really great - they did not drift to attack the bombers. Unlike some Hartman, who drove the entire cabin at the mere thought of attacking the "box". Although why he drove away, it is also understandable - 18 pilots died in one battle. And the dead do not need diamonds for the knight's cross.