343 FIGHTER SQUADRON
PILOT'S PERSONAL ENCOUNTER REPORT
A. Combat.
B. November 3rd, 1943.
C. 343rd Fighter Squadron
D. 1315
E. Fifteen miles south of Wilhelmshaven at 27000 ft.
F. Overcast at 14-000 ft. Slight haze above.
G. FW 190.
H. One FW 190 Probable.
I. I was flying No. 4 in Blue flight. I was recovering from a sharp dive
after Lt. Buttke had shot an E/A off my tail and joined a formation of four
P-38's at 27-000 ft. I tacked on to the second element and just then the
first element made a bounce to the left and the second element made a steep
downward bounce to the right, apparently on a FW 190. I followed them and
as I did a FW 190 came in on the tail of the second ship and evidently did not
see me. I got within 200 yds. of his tail and at that time the element
leader and his wingman pulled up hard and to the right with the FW 190
following. I gave him about 2 1/2 radii lead and gave two bursts (about 2
secs. each) of gun and cannon at him. My ship started severe buffeting so
I eased off the stick and smoothed out and repeated the same tactics with two
more bursts of same duration at about 250 yds. after which the FW 190 appeared
to stagger slightly and fell off in a slow spiral to the right, and I
pulled off in a slow spiral to the right and I pulled off to the right
momentarily - he spiralled down through the overcast with out any apparent
control over the ship. The pilot did not bail out and no smoke or fire was
noticeable, I then pulled back up and joined two P-38's and we returned
home.
HAROLD M. BAUER
2nd Lieut., Air Corps.
CONFIDENTIAL