WWII Forums Quiz Part III

[Martin Bull]

I was afraid no-one was going to have a try - another non-Waffen-SS question !

Well done, Erich - it was indeed 'Honest John' Searby.

'Schrage Musik' does seem to be one of Bomber Command's most fearsome adversaries - I believe it was extraordinarily effective on the infamous 'Nuremburg Raid', 30 March 1944.

Anyhow - all yours, Erich.....

[Kai-Petri]

Sorry, Martin...Not so quick...You must be meaning me, Kai-Petri!! Right?!

[Erich]

Kai :

Yes it's all yours.....mine was just a footnote for Martin and all.

March 30/31, 1944 was just plain insane......
The schräg waffen was devastating all through the war. Another small note of interest, did you guys know that in 1945 for the 10./NJG 11 Me 262's an experiment was being worked on for a mobile fitting for a single 2cm weapon on the side of the cockpit enabling a wider variance of degree for shooting down the bombers, even from the side in a lateral position ! ........ oooooooh very strange !

E

[Martin Bull]

Oh ! [img]redface.gif[/img]

HeHe... sorry, Kai ! I'm just running to the optician to have my eyesight checked

[Erich]

Make sure Martin that the doctor installs those infa-red lenses so you can easily spot those German night fighter exhausts at night ! .....

E

[Kai-Petri]

Niema Problemo, guys!

Anyway, to the question. Where in Europe was "happy valley" by the RAF code??

And something on the Peenemunde operation as well:

One pilot of "Wile Sau" claimed one Mosquito over Berlin. His name was Fw. Hakenjos. Another planes and their pilots had no similar luck and with light damaged machines crashed or emergency landed. This was also the story of Lt. Max Krähwinkel on Fw 190 (W.Nr.530371) from 4./ JG "Herrmann". Pilot landed in Burg near Magdeburg and suffered injuries. But his landing was caused also by lack of the fuel.
Although Peenemünde was only 150 kilometers to the North from Berlin and about 20 minutes of flight, Germans had no time to attack. Fighters used all their fuel during their awating over Berlin and had to landed.
But in fact 40 bombers were shot down (23 Lancasters, 15 Halifaxes and 2 Stirlings). It was 6,7 % of the strength RAF that night. These losses were high, but the raid was successful. Twelve claims reported fighters of the Luftwaffe, those few, who were in time over the right place of the combat. Thei caught the third wave of british bombers.
One of the "Wilde Sau" pilots, who reached the right target was Oblt. Friedrich - Karl Müller from Stab of JG "Herrmann". Müller took off with some delay and that is why he knew over Berlin, that the target is not this town.
He observed many lights to the North. He thought it was Oranienburg. He took course to the North. He flew in 10° course in altitude of 6000 metres. He circled over Oranienburg for 20 or 25 minutes and tried to contacted the radio beacon in Berlin with code name Berolina, but received no reply. Then he contacted Heuberg in Münster. He never before heard something about Peenemünde and V weapons.
He was headed to Swinemünde. There he found out a heavy fog on the ground. It was the smoke screen to protect the facility at Peenemünde. Green and Red lights showed him the way to the british bombers. But the bombers were not in reported 6000 metres altitude, but at 1500 or 2000 metres height. Müller found the bomber stream and shot down two planes. One Lancaster over Swinemünde and the second plane over Peenemünde.
Another pilot who joined the target on the Baltic coast was Oblt. Ertel, Adjutant of II. Gruppe. Firstly circled over Berlin, but then landed at the nearest airfield, refueled and flew to Peenemünde. But had not luck. When he reached the Peenemünde, his engine went off, and Oblt. Ertel had to glide landed in the corn field.
After the combat claime pilots of Jagdgeschwader "Herrmann" three victories over Peenemünde and one Mosquito over Berlin. But one of these seems to be an unofficial one. It was claimed by Lt. Georg Schmitt from 6. Staffel, North of Peenemünde.

http://members.fortunecity.com/pkassak/1718ag43.htm

[Erich]

You'll have to read about this mission in full when the JG 300 book is published.
Hauptmann Müller shot down a Lanc 3 km SW of Peenem
ünde as his 4th kill.
His 5th kill was a Stirling 15km South of Peenemünde.
Fw. Hakenjoos of I./JG 300 flying a Bf 109G-6 shot down a Mossie 35 km West of Berlin as his first kill.

E

[Martin Bull]

''Happy Valley'' - The Ruhr ?

[Kai-Petri]

Indeed, Martin!

I put the first time "what place in Germany" which would have made it probably obvious so I tried to make it sound a bigger question by referring to Europe.

Anyway, congrats!, it´s the Ruhr, and it´s your time to ask (again?!)...

[Martin Bull]

One of the longest-surviving 'Dambuster' crews was the all-Australian one of 'Mickey' Martin's 'P-Popsie'.

What happened on February 12th, 1944 to bring this gallant partnership to an end ?

[Kai-Petri]

Eek?Nobody?

Ok, I´ll have a go with some net knowledge...

12th February 1944

"10 Lancasters again tried to attack the Viaduct
( Antheor railway diaduct ) but due to the target being better defended and the terrain this raid also failed to severe the railway connection. No aircraft were lost on this raid but S/L Micky Martins Bomb aimer F/L R C Hay was killed by gun fire from the bridge and F/E Ivan Whittaker was injured. The aircraft went on to land in Sardinia "now in American hands". Bob Hay was laid to rest here and Ivan Whittaker went into hospital.

[Martin Bull]

Right again, Kai.

During the raid on the Antheor Viaduct, a 2cm shell entered the nose of the aircraft and decapitated Bob Hay, who had been 617 Squadron's 'bombing leader' on the Dams Raid.

This was a terrible shock to the closely-knit crew, compounded by the fact that they had to 'leave' him in Sardinia ; where he is now buried in St Michaels Cemetery, Cagliari. The surviving crew of 'P-Popsie' were taken off 'ops' soon after.

All yours, Kai...

[Kai-Petri]

Thanx Martin,

And now something different. What is Atebrin? Where was it used first and by whom in WW2?

[Popski]

G'day Kai

Atrebin is an anti malaria drug discovered in 1931 by Fritz Mietsch. It was used by the Australian forces after they began fighting in New Guinea and lost a lot of troop sue to malaria.

Popski

[Kai-Petri]

When you know it you know it!

Well done, Popski, over to you!

[Popski]

Thanks Kai

My question, who conceived the plan to form the Commando's in 1940 and brought it to the attention of Winston Churchill?

Popski

[redcoat]

Originally posted by Popski:
Thanks Kai

My question, who conceived the plan to form the Commando's in 1940 and brought it to the attention of Winston Churchill?

Popski

The man who gave the Commando unit's their name and helped set them up was,
Lieutenant Colonel Dudley W. Clarke, Royal Artillery.

[Popski]

Indeed Redcoat

Lieutenant-Colonel Dudley Clarke R.A. conceived the Commando idea walking in London while thinking of other armies tactics while they were in lesser fortune. The name was taken from the Boer-war Commando's. Also he was the first Commando wounded on a raid.

Redcoat your turn

Popski

[redcoat]

Here's a fairly easy one
What type of aircraft was the first victim of the Supermarine Seafire

[Martin Bull]

I wasn't going to have a 'go' at this one but hate to see the quiz languishing.....

Lt G C Baldwin RN , flying from HMS Furious during Operation Torch, scored the Seafire's first confirmed kill on 8/11/42 - a Dewoitine 520. ( Although there was an earlier 'probable' by Sub-Lt A S Long who claimed a Martin 167 ).

[redcoat]

Originally posted by Martin Bull:

Lt G C Baldwin RN , flying from HMS Furious during Operation Torch, scored the Seafire's first confirmed kill on 8/11/42 - a Dewoitine 520. ( Although there was an earlier 'probable' by Sub-Lt A S Long who claimed a Martin 167 ).

Well done Martin [img]smile.gif[/img]
over to you
Merry Christmas