CONFIDENTIAL
PILOT'S PERSONAL ENCOUNTER REPORT
A. Combat.
B. 5 January 1944
C. 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group
D. About 1135
E. South-South West of Kiel
F. CAVU
G. Me109
H. Destroyed, one (1) Me109
I. I was leading Swindle Blue Flight at about 30,000 ft.
some 15 miles south of Kiel when we encountered some 25 plus single engine enemy
aircraft above us at about 35,000 ft. After breaking left into the E/A, which
were bouncing us from nine o’clock, our Group went into a double Luftberry. Two
sections circling in opposite directions one some 500 ft. above the other.
Sixteen or eighteen E/A were mixed into the Luftberrys while other single E/A
stooged about outside awaiting opportunities to attack.
My Flight was on top of the melee about 500ft above the other A/C of our Group
and so at about 30,000 ft, I saw a P38 at 1 o’clock to me outside the Luftberry
with two Me109’s on his tail some 150 to 200 yards behind. I decreased the
degree of my bank and was able to fire a 45 degree deflection burst from 300
yards, closing to 200 yards. I saw numerous hits of the .50 caliber and cannon
on the trailing Me109. As the first one half rolled, I noticed strikes on the
wings, fuselage, canopy, and wing-roots of the trailing A/C and pieces of the
plane were falling off as it went into a steep dive to the right. The other E/A
broke and dove away. I believe that the trailing E/A was destroyed by my attack.
JAMES H. HANCOCK
Capt. Air Corps
CONFIDENTIAL