Thanx Erich for the info, again!

I guess it was sort of "last card on the deck" to put those Bf 110´s to attack in the daylight as Bf 110´s were already back in 1940 seen inferior to enemy single-engine fighters??


From time to time Bf 110G night fighters were used on day operations. They were first employed as close escort to the Scharnhorst and the Gneisenau off the Dutch coast and Heligoland Bight, and in the summer of 1943 they fought American day-bomber formations whenever the latter flew unescorted. The Bf 110G groups sustained heavy losses during these actions owing to their pilots, trained in night-fighting tactics, going in close before attacking and being met by the heavy defensive fire of the bombers. They were no match for American fighters escorting American B-17 and B-24 bombers over Berlin.

http://www.kotfsc.com/aircraft/me-110.htm

---------------

Although Big Week cost the Eighth 300 planes (mostly bombers) lost or written off, nearly 10,000 tons of bombs were dropped on the German aircraft industry and ball bearing plants, a greater tonnage than the Eighth had dropped on all targets in 1943. As many as 1,000 complete or nearly complete German aircraft had been destroyed.

In February 1944 alone, the Luftwaffe lost 33 percent of its single-engine fighters and 20 percent of its fighter pilots, including several fliers who were credited with more than 100 victories. In the first four months of 1944 it had lost 1,684 fighter pilots. Their replacements would be unskilled youths thrust into combat against experienced American pilots.

http://history1900s.about.com/librar...ointblank4.htm

__________________

For its part in The Big Week, the 353rd gave penetration and withdrawal support for missions on the 20th and 21st but had no encounters with enemy fighters. From Wayne Blickenstaff’s diary for February 20th, 1944:

“Another damn milk run for us. Made my 50th mission today, and I have only a damaged to my credit. Am getting slightly discouraged about the whole thing. Led Yellow Flight.“

The mission for February 22, not part of "The Big Week" operation was to support B-24s. However, they had aborted due to weather, and the Group waited in the designated area for some minutes to pick up and escort out three groups of B-17s. The mission was to be a most fateful one.

Major Walter Beckham

Trouble started inbound to the rendevouz point in a bizarre and ominous way. At 28,000 feet over Antwerp one 352nd Squadron plane received a direct flak hit and went straight down with its pilot. After rendezvous with the bombers there was no sign of action, and Lt. Col. Duncan took the Group on several large sweeps, looking for enemy aircraft. Northeast of Bonn he spotted an enemy airfield with several twin engine aircraft taxiing on it and other aircraft parked around its perimeter.

Duncan then took his flight down to the deck, as Major Beckham and the other 351st Squadron flight leaders gave him top cover. With Major H. N. Holt (Executive Officer of the 366th Fighter Group, getting his first combat experience with the 353rd) flying his wing, Duncan lined up on a Ju 88. He opened fire, scored many hits, knocking pieces off the plane, and continued his fire into a group of soldiers or crew chiefs and a hangar before pulling over the hangar. He called for strafing planes to stay low because of the heavy flak and proceeded on out from the airfield where he hit two locomotives. Major Holt followed him through all of this and finished up most of what Duncan had started, the two sharing the destruction of the Junkers. Behind Duncan the other 351st flights came down to strafe. Major Beckham picked out a line of six enemy aircraft and came in at tree top level, indicating 425 mph. As he pulled up from the pass a burst of flak found his plane.

Instantly his engine was on fire and he trailed flames and smoke as he clawed for altitude. Then his Florida drawl came over the R/T.

“Take the boys home, George. I can’t make it.” These words were directed to his wingman, Lt. George Perpente. When Perpente hesitated, not wanting to leave his stricken leader, Beckham called again. “Get the hell out of here. Take a course of 310 degrees, stay low and get going. I hope to see you all later.”


Thereupon Beckham opened his canopy, bailed out and floated down to become a prisoner of the Germans. His loss was a great blow to the Group and to the 8th Air Force, which lost its leading ace to some German ground gunner just when he was reaching the peak of his abilities as one of the greatest air fighters of all time. Walt’s final score in the air was 18 destroyed, 4 probably destroyed and 2 damaged.

http://www.worldwar2pilots.com/14-Fe...44-BigWeek.htm





[ 20. February 2003, 01:55 PM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

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great info as always Kai ! did you know the yellow jackets, 353rd was the first 8th a/f fighter group to dive bomb German positions and strafe columns ?

you can actaully chat with "Blick" on :

www.353rd.com

anyway back to the bf 110G-2 the crews were not actually nf crews. They were day time destroyer crews pulled off the ost front to come back and retrain against B-17 silhouettes against their hangers for hopes of finding the best positions and angles of attack for their heavy cannon and the br 21 rocket mortars under each wing. first missions were in September of 43 and lasting till April/ May of 44.
The night fighter crews in their Bf 110G-4's with radar were asked to join the other twin engine gruppen and of course this was totally insane as the nf pilots would attack from slightly below to hit the underneath of the bombers wings. The belly turret gunners in the B-17's had a hey day with kills and slowly the night fighter crews were pulled out of these missions and sent back on anti-RAF duties.
The worst time for the Bf 110G-2 and Me 410A an B crews was the set up for an attack which was done most of the time from the rear first attacking by salvoing their rockets at over 1000 yards with the hope to disrupt the whole bomber formation, then attack in two's or pick up single bombers that may have been damaged. The hope of course was to shy away from Allied escorts or that Luftwaffe day fighters would keep them busy, but as history has proven itself repeatedly the twin engine jobs suffered terribly. Another case was another Bf 110G-2 gruppen just leaving it's base at Öttingen and trying to form up by staffeln in march of 44. The US 9th a/f 354th with the P-51B dove down on them and slaughtered nearly all the 25 twin engines before they could even get up to altitude.

E

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E ~

Wow! Thanx Erich! Great info!

I suddenly took an interest in Bf 110´s in action and checked the net for more:

( I know some of this has been discussed before but ...anyway...)

http://www.rockymountainrarities.net/germany.htm

Major Heinz Wolfgang Schnaufer
(1922-1950) Diamonds (21)
ended WWII with a total of 121 victories and was highly respected by his British adversaries who called him "the night ghost of St. Trond".
In one single engagement on May 25, 1944, he downed 5 British heavy bombers in 14 minutes. The tail section of his Me 110 is on display in the Imperial War Museum in London. Schnaufer survived the war to die in an auto accident at age 28 in 1950.during a wine-purchasing visit to France, his open sports car was in collision with a lorry on the main road south from Bordeaux. The lorry had failed to observe right of way and entered the main road illegally. Heavy gas cylinders from the lorry fell on to Schnaufer's car, at least one of them hitting Schnaufer on the head. He died in hospital two days later, on 15 July 1950.
One of only two night fighter aces to receive the Diamonds.

http://www.warbirdsresourcegroup.org/LRG/schnafer.html

Major Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein (1916-1944) (Luftwaffe) Swords (44) the third ranked night fighter ace of WWII and aviation history.
When Sayn-Wittgenstein was killed in action on January 21, 1944, he had a total of 83 victories and was the Squadron Commander of NJG 2 at Stendal, Germany. The night he was killed, he had added 5 victories to his total.

Oberst Helmut Lent (1918-1944) (Luftwaffe) Diamonds (15) the second ranked night fighter ace of WWII and aviation history. Lent had a total of 113 victories when he was killed in a crash on October 5, 1944. He was the 1st night fighter ace to achieve 100 victories and the 1st of only 2 night fighter aces to receive the Diamonds.

-----------------


the first victory won by using only airborne radar was scored by a Do 215B-5 piloted by Ludwig Becker. Between August 12th and September 30th this pilot destroyed five more British bombers, becoming the first German night-fighter ace of the War. But in the late 1941 and early 1942 deliveries of the major night-fighter aircraft were delayed as well as the deliveries of the "Lichtenstein" air-born radar.


------------

__________________

'25th FEBRUARY, 1943.

Lancaster 'X'
Self
F/Lt Burnside
F/Lt Oliver II
F/O Wickens
Sgt Britton
F/Lt Lodge
P/O Hutchison

Operations : Nuremburg
Quite a good trip.
Had to wait for P.F.F.
Load, 1x4000lb. + 5000 incend.
7.10 hrs'

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Ludwig "Luk" Meister

On 21st February, for instance, a Lancaster is shot down by Kapitän Meister at Plittersdorf (near Rastatt at a long distance of Florennes).

On 24th February, three new Lancasters are claimed by our pilot, all over Northern France:

-one of 44 Sq. at Béthancourt;

-one of 61 Sq.South of Menil-Annelles;

-the last (a plane of 12 Sq.) SSW Vouziers.



By the end of the war he had shot down a total of 39 aircraft, 38 at night and one daytime.

Ludwig Meister was born at Rohrmühle, near Erbendorf (Bavaria) on December 14, 1919. He was the son of an Industrialist and after finishing his education he enlisted in the Luftwaffe in 1939.
His flying training began at 4. / Flieger-Ausbildungs-Regiment 51 and he continued his training until he was sent in February 1941 to ßlindflugschule 1 at Brandis and finally to Zerstörerschule at Neubiberg. It was here that he was trained on operational ßf110, twin engine fighters and teamed up with his WOpt/AG Uffz. Hannes Forke who was born in Leipzig.

In June 1941, Ludwig and Hannes were sent to Echteringen airfield, home of E. / NJG 1 training unit of the 1st Nightfighter Wing. After many hours of flying learning the tactics of the Nachtjagd, the crew were transferred in September 1941 to II. / NJG 1 operating out of Stade near Hamburg.

His first victories were on November 30, 1941 when he shot down three bombers that were attacking Hamburg. Only two of these were verified as a third crashed into the sea. The verified aircraft were a Whitley and a Halifax. In February 1942, II. / NJG 1 and the crew were transferred to St. Truiden (St. Trond) in Belgium. Between February 11th and 13th, Meister and Hannes participated in Operation Donnerkeil, an operation to protect the warships Scharnhorst, Gneisenau and Prinz Eugen in their dash from Brest through the English Channel to Norway.

May 1942, Ludwig and Hannes are transferred from Belgium to join the III. / NJG 4 at Mainz-Finthen. It was here that their next victories came when on August 28/29, 1942 they shot down three aircraft. These were a Wellington at Eich, a Stirlin at Airlenbach and another Wellington at Simmern.

In October 1942, Leutnant Meister and Hannes are again transferred, this time to 1. / NJG 4 based at Laon-Athies in France. Meister has been given the post of Adjutant to Hauptmann Wilhelm Herget, newly appointed Gruppenkommandeur.

It is here that he shoots down more aircraft,

October 25, 1942 a Wellington of 75 Squadron at Jenlain which was returning from an operation to Milan,

November 22, 1942 a Lancaster of 57 Squadron which crashed at Tourinnes-la-Grosse in Belgium,

December 21, 1942 a Stirling which crashed into the English Channel and was unidentified.

By the end of 1943, Oberleutnant Ludwig "Luk" Meister had eight victories to his credit.

1943 and Ludwigs next victory is on March 9 and it is a Halifax, believed to be W7851 (TL-Y) of 35 Squadron which crashed between Ors and Catillon-sur-Sambre (Le Cateau). 1. / NJG 4 now move to a new airfield at Florennes in Belgium. It is here that the aircraft of the Gruppe operate above the French and Belgium borders and on April 17, 1943 he claims his 10th victory when he downs a Halifax possibly an aircraft of 408 Squadron between St. Hubert and Nassogne in the Belgium Ardennes. May 30th, he shoots down Stirling EF349 (WP-Y) of 90 Squadron which crashes at Proville, near Cambrai, France and on June 26, 1943 yet another Stirling, this time one of 214 Squadron falls to him, 45 km from Arnhem, Netherlands. In July, Oberleutnant Meister is promoted to Staffelkapitän. On July 4, he shoots down a Halifax of 51 Squadron near Rance in Belgium and on July 14, a Halifax of 102Squadron at Wattignies-la-Victoire.

After these victories 1. / NJG 4 fly's mainly over German soil and Ludwig is now given command of 1. / NJG 4 as the previous Kapitän was wounded in action.

It is over Germany that Ludwig claims a further ten victories, the next being Lancaster ED627 (EM-N) of 207 Squadron on August 28, 1943 and another Lancaster that night near Nürnberg. These are followed on October 4 by three Halifaxes, one near Übereisenbach, one near Trier and the other near Cologne. On November 3, November 23 and December 20, three more Halifaxes are brought down, the first again near Cologne, the second at Grebs and the third at Arloffberg.

1944 and 1. / NJG 34 are back operating over Belgium and France. On January 1, Staffelkapitän Meister is promoted to Hauptmann. January 2, and Ludwig and Hannes claim another four Lancasters on this day. A Lancaster of 156 Squadron at Estinnes-au-Val, Belgium, one of 405 Squadron at Croix near St. Pol and two more which were lost in the English Channel.

January 7, on this day Ludwig claims his first and only daytime victory when he shoots down an American B-17, Flying Fortress which again crashed into the Channel. A few days later and the Gruppe are moved to Werneuchen to help to defend Berlin. Whilst there he shoots down a Lancaster, SW of Liebenwalde and a Halifax near Schönmark.

Another two Halifaxes are downed near the German town of Celle on January 20. It is at this time that the Gruppe are equipped with the new three seater ßF 110 G-4. Ludwig and Hannes are now joined by the third crew member, the gunner FW. Toni Werzinski. This is because that WOpt./AG was now tied up with all the new sophisticated Radar and unable to do his duty as a gunner as well.

The Nachtjagd tactics have also changed, they now start their patrols in their home area and then follow the bomber streams until they have to break off and land at the nearest Luftwaffe base. After refueling they then return to their home base. This explains why some of the victories are far from home such as on February 21, a Lancaster is shot down by Ludwig and his crew at Plittersdorf, near Rastatt. A long way from Florennes. More kills follow on February 24, when three Lancasters, one of 44 Squadron at Bethancourt, one of 61 Squadron, south of Menil-Annelles and a Lancaster of 12 Squadron, ssw of Vouyiers. More Lancaster's are shot down in March, on the 16th an aircraft of 100 Squadron at Bonneuil-les-Eaux and another of 630 Squadron, south of Besme, March 23, an aircraft of 514 Squadron near St. Omer. After shooting down the previous aircraft, Ludwig follows the bomber stream until he has to land his ßf 110 G-4 3C+TJ (WNR 720078) at Hildesheim airfield. Ludwig and Hannes got some some rest, Werzinski who was the mechanic as well as the Air Gunner checked the aircraft out. Lack of rest for Werzinski proved to be almost fatal for the crew.

Ludwig contacts the Flugssicherungzentrale of Brussels to check on the air activity. He is told that there is no hostile aircraft in the vicinity and at 08.52 heads for home. He follows the river Meuse to Florennes, flying low. Werzinski the gunner falls a sleep because of lack of rest the previous night and suddenly they are attacked from behind by an American P-47. Ludwig manages to crash land his ßf110 at Nannine near Namur, but the three men are injured and trapped within the aircraft. They crashed near a railway line where two German members of the Reichsbahn, working near by, saw the crash. They arrive at the crash site quickly and order the Belgian workforce to remove the crew to safety. The ßf 110 exploded and the crew were put on a train and taken to Namer Lazarett. Werzinski was severly wounded when he was shot in the head but survived

The pilot of the P-47 that day appears to have been Cpt. Edward H. Spietsma of the 358 FG/367 FS. This was his only victory claim for the duration of the war.

Ludwig stays some weeks in hospital in Namur and is later tranferred to other hospitals in Germany. When he recovers he returns to Florennes to receive the Ritterkreuz for his victories but he is still not fit for flying duties, so he organises the evacuation of the airfield in August 1944.

At the end of 1944, Ludwig is promoted to Kommandeur and takes command of III./NJG 4. During this time he shoots down his final Lancaster on March 7, 1945 near the town of Kassel.

Ludwig Meister maintained contact with his two crew members. Werzinski had recovered from the bullet wound to the head and Hannes Forke, whilst on a holiday at Almaar on the coast of the Netherlands in the 1960´s, tried to save his daughter and nephew from drowning, but died with them.

http://www.lancaster-ed627.freeserve...20Meister.html

http://www.lancaster-ed627.freeserve...s/ME110g-4.jpg




http://users.pandora.be/airwareurope/meister.html

[ 20. March 2003, 12:48 PM: Message edited by: Kai-Petri ]

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It has been thought that Ludwig Meister and the other gruppenkommanduer II./NJG 4 Fritz Krause may have flown the Ju 88G-6; at least Fritz did.
Ludwig is still alive and lives in Le Trayas/Var France.

bon jour !

E

__________________
E ~

Thanx Erich!

Good to know that!

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I'm still looking to see where or if Fritz Krause is still alive ? He served with NJG 101 before his movement to NJG 4. RK with 28 victories.
Real strange too that NJG 4 was given the last of the latest equipment right up till almost the end of January 1945, and then in April it received some of the top notch Ju 88G-6's with Berlin FuG 240 centrimetric radar's.

E

__________________
E ~

'26th FEBRUARY 1943

Lancaster 'X'

Self
Same Crew

Operations :- Cologne
A wizard prang.
Huge fires.
Flak moderate.
Same load.
MY 169TH WAR FLIGHT.

5.25 hrs.'

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

you lost me Martin !

Anyway I have 21 RAF bombers claimed by German night fighters on this 1943 date.....do you have any more for this raid ?

E

__________________
E ~

Not sure about the total of 21, Erich....

As for the usual sources, 'Diaries' gives 10 lost and 'Losses' gives 13 ( of which 2 crashed on takeoff, 1 on landing...) At 'only' 2.2 percent nothing out of the ordinary.

( I was waiting for someone to realise that I'm quoting in this thread straight from the personal logbook of A Well-Known British Pilot, soon to lead a now-Famous Squadron on a Legendary Raid.... )

__________________
"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

A big problem with some German claims, as a damaged bomber or even a corkscrewing bomber to a German novice pilot would make him think he had scored a victory.....

I wasn't sure where you were going with Lancaster X for a minute but could figure out something was a float for the future......right O !

E

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E ~

Okaaay then, haven't done this in a while since it takes a bit of time. Anyway, here goes. [img]smile.gif[/img]

February 28

1940
- Finnish government meets to decide if the harsh demands from the Soviet Union should be accepted. Most ministers are in favour to do so, due the the serious situation at the front. President Kallio requests that the opinion of Field Marshal Mannerheim be presented before any decision is taken.
- The Swedish Volunteer Corps has assumed positions at Märkäjärvi, allowing a larger force of five experienced Finnish infantry battalions and two artillery batteries to be shifted out of the line and on towards the Karelian Ishtmus. The options for the Corps is narrowed down to either an assault on the Soviet positions, an flanking operation to the left or right, or simply defending Märkäjärvi. The defensive option is discarded for morale reasons, and the Soviet forces are deemed too well dug-in for an assault. Thus, reconnaissance for a flanking move will commence at the earliest possible date.

1942
- The population in the besieged city of Leningrad has suffered an estimated 100,000 deaths from starvation.
- German U-boats have claimed 65 ships off the eastern seaboard of the United States, during the last month.

1943
- While on a reconnaissance flight over Russian lines, the Feisler Storch plane of SS General Theodor Eicke is shot down by rifle fire. Commander of the elite and infamous 3rd Waffen-SS division, the "Totenkopf", Eicke is immediately killed. Eicke had previously served as the first commander at the concentration camp at Dachau, and had initiated a constant exchange of personell between the camps and the "Totenkopf" division.
- The Soviet 3rd Guards Tank Army in the Kharkov area is down to a mere 30 tanks.
- During February, British Bomber Command has flown 2,399 sorties to targets in Germany, while losing 68 aircraft. The US 8th Air Force has flown 74 sorties, losing 7 aircraft.
- In Norway, a daring commando raid by British/Norwegian special forces blow up a facility manufacturing heavy water for the Germans.
- In the Pacific, the Japanese 8th Army sends in a convoy of 8 destroyers and 8 transports to support the battle of Lae on the east coast of New Guinea. The convoy departs Rabaul carrying some 6,000 soldiers, 400 marines, 2,340 crewmen, as well as equipment, provisions, ammunition and aviation fuel.

1944
- Near the town of Huta Pieniacka, the 4th Battalion of 14th Waffen-SS Division "Galizien" surround the town in the early hours of morning. The town, previously the scene of confused fighitng involving Polish and Ukranian guerilla forces as well, is taken under artillery fire. As the Waffen-SS soldiers enter the city, they fire indescriminately on civilians. After taking the town the remaining population, mostly women and children, are rounded up into the church and several barns, which are locked, drenched in gasoline and set on fire. Around 1,000 people perish in the action.
- Hanna Reitsch, famous female test pilot and devoted Nazi, visits Adolf Hitler in Berechtsgaden to receive her Iron Cross, First Class. She suggest setting up a squadron of suicide bombers composed of specially designed V-1s, an idea which fails to impress the Führer.
- In the Pacific, submarine USS Trout is lost with all hands on her eleventh war patrol after sighting a Japanese convoy. She was credited with 23 enemy ships, a total of 87,000 tons.
- In Muroc, California, a Boeing B-29 Superfortress bomber drops the fist dummy atomic bomb. The test reveals a need for further adaptions and a new suspension mechanism.

1945
- The Red Army ceases offensive operations against Army Group Kurland.
- The besieged city of Poznan, encircled for some time, falls to the Soviet forces.
- In Germany, the Bachem Ba-349 Natter rocket powered fighter lifts off for the first, and probably only time. At the controls are Luftwaffe Leutnant Lother Siebert, who becomes the first human to experience vertical rocket flight, during the takeoff. This experience is short-lived however, as the cokpit bubble is torn off at 100 meters, decapitating Siebert. The Natter continues to climb to some 500 meters altitude before faltering and speeding down to earth, ending the the flight.
- Tanks of the US 3rd Division crosses the river Erft after suffering serious losses in armour.
- The Canadian 1st Army reaches the river Rhine.
- Western Allied forces have taken 81,238 prisoners of war during February.

__________________
"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

And a quick one for the not too common February 29

1940
- On the north-western shore of Laatokka, the encircled Soviet Rifle Corps split into several smaller pockets by the Finnish forces, suffers further setbacks as the Finns destroy the eastern pocket.
- The Finnish government convenes to discuss the Soviets demands, and receives the view of Field Marshal Mannerheim. Mannerheim states the situation is getting desperate, and the military high command unanimously supports accepting the Soviet terms for peace. After listening to these opinions, all but one of the Finnish ministers agree that the demands should be accepted. A message accepting the Soviet demands as a starting point is sent to Stockholm, to be delivered at a later date.

__________________
"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

Germans and heavy water

Before an A-bomb could be created scientists had to engineer a controlled and sustained nuclear reaction. They had to bring enough uranium together to cause a reaction, but in a controlled way so as to avoid blowing up everything around it. This required a moderator, a substance that slowed down the neutrons in an atomic reaction, enabling them to split other atoms. The most efficient moderator available at the time was "heavy water," a substance found in ordinary water in very tiny amounts. It is called deuterium, an isotope that has a neutron in addition to a proton in its nucleus. Thus, its atomic weight is heavier. Hence, "heavy water." The only plant in the world capable of creating heavy water in sufficient amounts to conduct nuclear research was the Norsk Hydro Hydrogen Electrolysis plant in Vemork, Norway, a nation occupied by the Germans in 1940.

The Norsk Hydro factory near the town of Vemork was located high on one side of a valley surrounded by minefields and treacherous cliffs. Aerial bombing was considered too dangerous to local Norwegians who worked there. A British commando raid failed when, in November 1942, two gliders towed by Halifax bombers filled with explosives and soldiers got lost and crashed in the snow-covered mountains. The survivors were eventually captured, tortured by the Gestapo, and shot. It was then decided that an advance team of Norwegians sent in to prepare the way for the first raid and who had not been captured should become the core of a much smaller all-Norwegian attempt to blow up the plant.

In late January 1943, five Norwegians parachuted into southern Norway. They hooked up with the advance party, which had barely survived one of the bitterest Norwegians winters in memory, scaled the previously thought impassable slopes, and attacked the plant from below. Taking the German guards completely by surprise they destroyed the equipment and escaped. However, in August 1943 word came from Norwegian underground agents employed in the factory that the Germans, after vigorous repair efforts, were once again producing heavy water at the plant. In desperation Allied bombers attacked the plant and did considerable but not fatal damage. But the bombing raid convinced the Germans that they could no longer rely on the Norsk plant

After the war German scientist Kurt Diebner testified that the elimination of the Norwegian heavy water production was the main factor in the failure of German atomic research. The sacrificial service of the raiders had paid off.
----------

On a moonlit winter night in 1943, nine Norwegian commandoes, trained and equipped in England, infiltrated the most heavily defended structure in occupied Europe. Their objective was to destroy the heavy water production facilities critical to the Nazi atomic bomb project. Four months earlier, three-dozen British soldiers had tried and died on a similar mission, without ever gaining sight of their target. But the Norwegians were destined to have a different fate...

After skillfully climbing the "unscaleable" (and therefore undefended) gorge below Norsk Hydro; they snuck into the facility, set and detonated their demolition charges, and escaped back down into the gorge without having to fire a single shot. This attack was the climax of the Allied efforts to deny Germany the bomb.

It is interesting to remember that Norsk Hydro was primarily a hydroelectric facility designed to create electricity from falling water (notice the large water pipes coming down the mountain). Heavy water production was just an unusual byproduct, unique to this particular facility. In fact, it was the only plant in the world capable of producing the quantities of heavy water sought by the Nazis. This explains the plant's importance during World War II.

http://www.pafko.com/trips/norway/n10/

http://www.norwaypost.no/Np/culture/musvemork.html

__________________

March 1

1940:
- France makes a declaration that 50,000 men will arrive in Finland by late March, and that France and Britain will take care of transit negotiations with Norway and Sweden. France also makes a request that negotiations with the Soviet Union be broken off. The message sent by the Finnish government to Stockholm earlier, accepting the Soviet demands for negotiations, is rephrased in less accepting terms and sent on to Moscow. Soviet troops are now positioned a few kilometers from Viipuri.
- On the Märkäjärvi front, the Swedish Volunteer Corps start offensive operations by sending out a the Jägar Company of II Group, under lieutenant Grafström as a scouting party.
- In Germany, the Messerchmitt corporation signs a development contract for the Me-262 jet-powered fighter.
- In Berlin, US Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles arrives for talks with German Foreign Minister Joachim von Ribbentrop. Welles offer US mediation in the current conflict, but von Ribbentrop states that Germany will not accept peace until Britains power is broken.
- Britain suspends trade negotiations with Italy, and orders the Royal Navy to stop German shipments of coal to the Italians. With Italy being dependant on German coal, Britain has suggested exporting coal instead, offering to buy Italian arms in exchange.

1941
- Prime Minister Filov of Bulgaria sign the tripartite pact, allying Bulgaria with the Axis.
In North Africa, Free French soldiers capture Kuffra in Libya.
- The Royal Air Force raids Cologne in a night-raid, using some 100 bombers.
- The US Navy sets up the Support Force, Atlantic Fleet, composed of destroyers, seaplane tenders and patrol aircraft, intended to protect convoys in the Atlantic.

1942
- Since June 22, 1941, the German Wehrmacht has lost 3,424 tanks on all fronts, while the production during the period has been 2,843 tanks. The total tank strength of the Wehrmacht stands at 4,462 tanks, with 2,468 being considered fit for front-line service.
- General Halder of the German General Staff estimates the losses on the Eastern Front to 202,000 killed, 725,000 wounded, 112,000 frostbitten, 300,000 captured and 46,000 missing.
- The Soviet offensive against the Crimea breaks through the northern part of the German lines, only to be slowed to a crawl by the marshes in the area.
- Axis headquarters of the German LXV Corps and Military Command Serbia, is merged.
- In the Pacific, Japanese ships sink the cruiser HMS Exeter and the destroyer USS Pope.

1943
- Soviet units recapture the city of Demyansk north-west of Moscow.
- Soviet attacks against the German forces in the Kuban are slowing to a halt, due to thaw and the spring mud.
- Lilya "The White Rose of Stalingrad" Litvyak, scores her fifth and sixth kill as she brings down a Ju-88 bomber and a Fw-190 fighter in her Yakovlev Yak-1 fighter.
- The 9th Waffen-SS Panzer Grenadier Division is given the name "Hohenstaufen".
- In the Pacific, the Battle of the Bismark Sea begins, with American, British and Australian aircraft attacks on Japanese convoys bound for New Guinea.
- In New York, American Jews hold a rally urging the US government to help the European Jews in the occupied territories.
- US General Spaatz takes over command of the 12th Air Force after Doolittle.

1944
- The 13th Waffen-SS "Handschar" division consisting of Moslem Croat (Bosnian) volunteers, is officially formed.
- During the night, British Bomber Command main force strikes Frankfurt in Germany, flying 544 heavy bomber sorties. Losses are 4 bombers, giving a loss rate of 0.7%. The raid is deemed successful.
- Arthur "Bomber" Harris, commander of the British Bomber Command, is awarded with Order of Suvorov from the Soviet Union, the only western Allied commander so honored to date. The citation states the award is given for "outstanding success in the direction of troops, excellent organisation of military operations, and determination and persistence displayed in their execution resulting in victory in battles".

1945
- There are currently 32 panzer divisions in the east, facing the Red Army, while 6 are stationed in western Europe.

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

March 2
1940
- The Red Army launches a major attack against Finnish positions on the northern side of lake Laatokka towards Kollaa and Aittojoki. After the preceding months of humiliation, the Soviets have brought in better commanders and learned valuable lessons, and the attack is better organized than previous operations. Still, the Finnish line holds.
- Soviet troops enter the outskirts of Viipuri.
A Soviet air raid on Helsinki is turned back by Finnish fighters.
- On the Märkäjärvi front, the scouting company from the Swedish Volunteer Corps are surrounded by a large Soviet detachment. During the day, lieutenant Grafström leads a successful breakout, during which six men are killed and patrol of seven go missing. Unknown to the Swedish forces, the patrol has been captured by Soviet forces, three of the seven men are eventually released from captivity, while four have perished. On the Soviet side, some 200 casualties are inflicted, while the scouting mission has determined that the terrain to the north is suitable for an advance.
- The French government claims that Germany is preparing for an invasion of Denmark and Norway.
- US Undersecreatay of State Sumner Welles meets with Chancellor Adolf Hitler, who outlines the German requirements for peace, these include the British surrender of Gibraltar, Suez and Singapore, as well as the return of German pre-World War I colonies.

1941
- Following the Bulgarian entry into the Axis on the previous day, the German 12th Army crosses into Bulgaria. The 12th Army is composed of five infantry corps and a tank corps. Greece immideately recognizes her danger and urges Britain to land troops as soon as possible.
- Adolf Hitler meets with Yugoslav Prince Paul, offering him Salonika in return for support against Greece and the Soviet Union.
- The British BOAC starts flying night missions to Stockholm, Sweden, ferrying diplomats and agents.

1942
- In a two-day operation, subunits of Einsatzgruppe A kills 3,412 Jews near Minsk, and 2,007 Jews near Baranovichi.
- The Royal Air Force raids the harbour of Palermo, Italy. The Wellington bombers hit the ammunition ship Cuma which explodes violently, damaging 13 other ships.
- Australia declares war in Thailand.
- Aircraft from the carrier USS Enterprise drives off two Japanese submarines.

1943
- German forces evacuate the exposed Rhzev salient in front of Moscow. While the salient has been a thorn in the Soviet side for over a year, it is in constant danger of being pinched off at the narrow "waist". Additionally, the weakened Wehrmacht is in desperate need of units for the upcoming summer offensive, when the initiative must be reclaimed from the Red Army.
- In the counter-offensive near Kharkov the German forces score a resounding success, as armoured units of von Manstein's 4th Panzer Army and Army Detachment Kempf make contact. This move cuts off the majority of Timoshenko's Southwestern Front.
- The Royal Air Force bombs downtown Berlin, dropping some 900 tons of bombs.
- Spitfire fighter surprise 15 Japanese bombers over Darwin, Australia, and proceeds to shoot down 6.

1944
- Luftwaffe pilot Erich Hartmann receives the Oakleaves to the Knights Cross, following his 202nd aerial victory.

1945
- The USAAF raids the remains of Dresden, flying some 406 B-17 and B-24 heavy bomber sorties.
- The US 9th Army captures Roermond and Venlo on the Maas, and reaches the Rhine opposite Düsseldorf.
- General MacArthur raises the US flag on Corregidor.

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

March 3

1940
- The Finnish troops in the Viipuri area come under intense pressure, as the Soviet troops under General Timoshenko launches a powerful thrust in the area.
- Finnish Foreign Minister Tanner and Swedish Foreign Minister Günther discusses the possibility of Finland keeping the cities of Viipuri and Sortavala, and a message to this effect is sent the same day.
- On the Märkäjärvi front, the scouting company under lieutenant Grafström from the Swedish Volunteer Corps, returns to friendly lines with their report. A new patrol is ordered to depart on March 6, to pinpoint Soviet posts and troops, suitable ambush points, and if possible forward bases for fighter aircraft.
- US Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles departs for Paris, having conferred with both Hermann Göring and Rudolf Hess during the day.

1941
- With the new threat from Bulgaria, Greek troops advancing against Italian forces in Albania are ordered to a halt.
- The Soviet Union denounces the Bulgarian entry into the Axis, and lodges a protest about the German troops in the country.
- The members of the German General Staff are presented with a picture of the British Matilda tank by General Jodl. There is a lot of concern when Jodl points out the thickness of the armour, some 80mm.

1942
- During the night, Bomber Command raids the Renault works in the suburbs of Paris, the first raid since "Bomber" Harris took over command. Some 235 aircraft are sortied, with 223 attacking target, accurately dropping some 300 bombs on target in the strike.

1943
- Following the successfully executed German evactuation of the Rhzev salient, the Red Army moves in and claims the city.
- In the area of Kharkov, von Manstein's forces continue to advance, taking the city of Slavyansk on the river Donets.
- The Luftwaffe raids London with 117 aircraft. Some 173 people are suffocated in the subway station of Bethnal Green, following a panic caused by anti-aircraft rockets used in the defence.
- In the Atlantic ocean, Italian submarine Barbarigo sinks American merchant ship SS Staghound.
- In the Pacific, the battle in the Bismarck Sea continues. Allied aircraft sink all eight transports, and four of the escorting destroyers. In addition, 25 Japanese aircraft are shot down. Allied losses are 21 aircraft.

1944
- The USAAF 8th Air Force raids Berlin with 748 B-17 and B-24 bombers. No less than 669 abort due to bad weather.

1945
- Stargard falls to the advancing Soviet forces.
- Following pressure from both the United States and the Soviet Union, Finland declares war on Germany. The declaration is dated retrospectively from September 15, 1944.
- Soviet mixed-power aircraft MiG I-250 flies for the first time, with pilot A.P. Dyeyev at the controls.
- In the Pacific, the fighting for Iwo Jima rages on. No less than five Medals of Honor are awarded for actions during the day.

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

March 4

1940
- The Soviet attacks crashing into the Finnish lines day after day are improving their organization. In a renewed push, Soviet forces capture the Äyräpää bridgehead on Vuosalmi. In a creative move unthinkable at the outset of hostilities, the Red Army also conducts a limited amphibious landing on the western side of the Bay of Viipuri, in an attempt to outflank Finnish defences. They also manage to use the thick ice to attack with tanks across the Bay of Viipuri. The city remains in Finnish hands, but is in serious danger of being surrounded.
- The German command orders the Scandinavian operation to be ready on four days notice.
- Italy issues a strong protest to Britain regarding the coal blockade.

1941
- The Royal Navy raids a German position on Lofoten Island, Norway, with primary goal of seizing an Enigma cipher machine, as well as destroying the armed trawler located there. During the operation, codenamed Claymore, some 14 German sailors are killed. This includes the the commander of the trawler, Liutenant Kupfinger, who is killed as throws the Enigma machine overboard, denying the raiding force their main objective. The trawler is severly damaged, oil stockpiles destroyed, and 25 prisoners taken.
- The British 8th Army under Wavell transfers some units from Egypt to Greece.

1942
- In the Mediteranean, Axis aircarft continue the last two months of raiding, launching the 394th raid in this time.
- In the British House of Commons, Air Minister Sinclair debates the resources spent on Bomber Command, stating that "Well armed, highly trained and inflexibly determined, they are the only force upon which we can call this year, 1942, to strike deadly blows at the heart of Germany."
- In the Pacific, Dutch forces begin destroying facilities on Java, as their situation is becoming untenable.

1943
- Red Army forces recapture Sievsk, south of Bryansk.
- German forces near Kharkov regroup following the counter-attack. The Red Army has lost some 23,000 soldiers, 600 tanks and 400 guns. The lack of infantry prevents the German forces from properly containing the pocketed forces however.
- The Bulgarian government attempts to protect Bulgarian Jews by instead deporting around 4,000 Jews from Greece. The Greek Jews are transferred to Poland via camps in southwestern Bulgaria.
- Off Newfoundland, Canadian destroyer HMCS St. Croix and corvette HMCS Shediac sinks German U-boat U-87
- In the Pacific, the Battle of the Bismarck Sea ends. During the night, patrol boats join the aircraft in their grisly work of machine-gunning and depth-charging the swimmers and life-rafts in the water to prevent them from reaching the shore. Some 7,000 Japanese troops, well over half of those embarked, are killed during the battle. Over the course of several days, allied land-based aircraft have sunk eight transports and four destroyers attempting to resupply Japanese troops on New Guinea. In addition, many Japanese planes are lost attempting to protect their ships.
- King George of England begins working two nights a week in a London munitions factory.

1944
- Defying the spring mud, Marshal Zhukov's 1st Belorussian Front intitiates the Soviet spring offensive. Zhukov has taken over command on short notice, following Vatutin suffering serious wounds in an ambush by Ukrainian nationalists. Designed to work in the staggered fashion of most late-war Soviet offensives, several other Fronts are slated to join over the next few days. German intelligence have picked up some indications of the offensive, but fail comprehend the vast scale on which it will be launched in such an inappropriate season. At 8:00 in the morning, the Soviet artillery preparation blankets the German lines, followed by a successful initial advance by ground troops.
- The USAAF 8th Air Force schedules its first raid on Berlin, with 502 B-17 and B-24 bombers. Poor weather forces 472 to abort before leaving England. The remaining 30 attck Berlin.

1945
- The 1st Belorussian Front under Marshal Zhukov establishes a new bridgehead across the river Oder, south of Frankfurt.
- The US 1st Army reaches the Rhine.

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"Nervous wait for the whistle to blow
Rush of blood and over we go..."
- Iron Maiden, "Paschendale"

hIDEOUS, gERMAN NIGHT FIGHTER PILOTS ENGAGE us FIGHTERS......

geez ! well mr computer caps lock

FjOfw. Yung from I./JG 301 in a Bf 109G-6 in night camo shoots down a P-51 for his 9th victory.
Oberleutnant Seidel in a Bf 109G-6 from I./JG 302 claims 1 B-17 for his third victory.......more to come

E

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E ~

Wow! Really stuff! I do not get tired of being amazed in this forums thank to all the valuable guys here!

Kai, those Iwo Jima pictures were really great. Now, you MUST read the article I wrote about the battle.

Erich and Kai, thank you for the excellent information on night fighters. I only knew a bit about Schnaufer and Lent. Zu Seyn-Wittgenstein I did know him. I have an article on him I might post later.

Martin; did you like the Me-110s?! [img]tongue.gif[/img] [img]tongue.gif[/img]

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

February 5th 1940, Great Britain and France.

The supreme Allied command decides to intervene in Norway and Sweden to cut off the German iron supplies from Sweden.

February 16th 1940, Norway.

The British destroyer HMS Cossack violates Norway’s neutrality by rescuing 299 British prisoners from the German nurse-ship Altmark who had been captured by the Graf Spee during her Atlantic raids. Germany increases the speed of the planning for an invasion of Norway, thinking that Great Britain has plans upon it.

February 24th 1940, Germany.

The plan named Sichelschnitt (Sickle’s blow) is born. One of the most risky and genius plans for military history places 45 German divisions in front of the Ardennes woods and a gigantic German Kesselschlacht is planned. Hitler is enchanted with this plan, created by Major-general Erich von Manstein. His little plan will bring Germany’s greatest victory.

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"War is less costly than servitude, the choice is always between Verdun and Dachau." - Jean Dutourd, French veteran of both world wars

"A mon fils: depuis que tes yeux sont fermes les miens n’ont cessé de pleurir." - Mère française, Verdun

MARCH 11, 1943

Lancaster 'X'
Self
P/O Thompson
S/Lt Muttrie
F/Lt Scrivener
F/Lt Oliver
Sgt Hargreaves
Sgt Hayhurst

My last trip. 71st bombers.
Operations. Stuttgart.
Flew there/back on three engines + 1/4.
Good trip. Flak light. Photo.
Main attack fell SW of main town.

6.30 hours.

SUMMARY OF OPERATIONAL FLYING

1st Tour : Hampdens : 242.2 hrs. 42 sorties.
2nd Tour : Beaufighters : 199.1 hrs. 99 sorties
3rd Tour : Mainly Lancasters : 201.00 hrs. 29 sorties.

Total Operational : 642.3 hrs. 170 sorties.

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"Stand by to pull me out of the seat if I get hit" - Guy Gibson

Congrats Martin, Legendary Hero!

Here´s a little present:



' NIGHT WATCH ' (?)

http://aviart.tcel.com/mossy.htm

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