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Ferrypilot to Sweden shot down 2 german fighters

Posted by GT on Tue Mar 16, 2004 04:31:29 PM

Has anyone details of a Bf109 and a FW190D loss over the North Sea on the 10 or 14 april 1945?

The German fighters was shot down by one of the Mustangs being delivered to Sweden. According to Swedish sources was the P-51D 44-72156 delivered to Sweden on 10 april but the pilot Bates combat report is dated 14 april 1945.

The american pilot "celebrated" on arrival to Stockholm the kills by flying very low under V?sterbron!. (Westbridge)

Any info will be welcome, name of the pilots of the Bf109/FW190D and JG, Gruppe, Staffel, a/c Markings and wk nr if known.

Any info will be welcome.

14 April 1945
1409th AAF Base Unit, European Division, ATC
1235Z hours
58-20N, 11-00E [elsewhere this is noted as being about 15 miles from the Swedish coast]
CAVU
Me-109 - FW-190 [one of the eyewitnesses states that this was a long nosed FW-190]
Destruction of two (2) enemy aircraft

I was the pilot of A/C P-51 D-20-472156 [ie, 44-72156] which was being flown to Stockholm, Sweden, together with others, for delivery to the Swedish government. We were at 15,000 feet, a flight of four (4), flying on course, when we observed two (2) boggies at eleven o'clock low. We turned in their direction for the purpose of identification and saw that one was an Me 109 and the other an FW 190. Lt. WHitmore, who was flying lead, took after the first one, the FW 190, and I took after the Me 109. I fired about a three (3) second burst and the enemy aircraft burst into flames and went down. By this time, Lt. Whitmore had discovered that his guns were jammed and he was calling for help. Cutting them off in a turn, I came in behind the FW 190 and fired a burst at about 90 deg deflection. The FW 190 burst into flames and started down. It was observed to blow up at about 5000 feet by Captain Boychuck, the pilot of one of the other P-51s. I claim the destruction of the two enemy aircraft. One an Me 109 and the other an FW 190.

Arthur W. Bates, Jr, 1st Lt., A.C.
P-51 D-20-472156
AAF Insignia [Markings]
500 rounds .50 cal A.P. and Inc. 5-1

Arthur W Bates, Jr.
1st Lt., Air Corps,
O-823897

Eyewitness reports were supplied by Capt. A Boychuck, 1st Lt W J Sullivan (pilot of the B-17G being escorted), and 1st Lt. Harold E Whitmore.

Elsewhere in the reports it is noted that the Swedes painted two swastikas on Bates' P-51.

Regards
GT

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