CONFIDENTIAL
PILOT'S PERSONAL ENCOUNTER REPORT
A. Combat
B. 5 January 1944
C. 38th Fighter Squadron, 55th Fighter Group.
D. 1140
E. 20 Miles east of Meldorf
F. CAVU
G. Me109 G
H. Damaged, one (1) Me109 G
I. I was leading Swindle White Flight when some twenty
miles east of Meldorf a flight of 6 plus Me210’s passed directly in front of and
about 1000 ft. below our altitude of 28,500. At the time we were on a southerly
course headed into the sun, while coming at us from 11 o’clock or out of the sun
were 25 plus bandits at 35,000. From all appearance the contrails were bandits,
apparently escorting the enemy T/E ships to the target at Kiel, where the first
bombers were making their bomb runs. I felt certain the bandits would attack our
formation of 23 P38’s if engaged the T/E E/A, so I ordered no one engage them
but that we would try to get on the up sun side. During this attempt the E/A
made a diving left turn from 0900, which we turned into. After a 270˚ turn one
section broke back to the right thus setting up a double Luftberry with about 20
Me109G’s mixed in the melee. During this engagement, my wingman and I fired on a
Me109G coming in head on to us, observing cannon strikes on the starboard wing
two feet from the wing tip. Small pieces we also observed to fall off the
fuselage, but I couldn’t say exactly where they came from. The E/A were
extremely aggressive and were all painted the same color – a light yellow nose,
dark spinner and all gave the appearance of being new ships. Also they all
seemed to come from one field, judging from the formation they were flying. The
wing tips were noticeably rounded much as is the conventional Spitfire wing tip,
but the elliptical part of the Spit’s wing was lacking. Judging from the
formation the bandits were in before the engagement, and from the fact they had
been in the vicinity for at least thirty minutes, I should say the airplane had
good characteristics at extremely high altitudes. The enemy aircraft did not
seem to out turn us, but on the other hand we could out turn them little or not
at all.
MARK K. SHIPMAN
Major - Air Corps
CONFIDENTIAL