It is possibly true. There are other cases of L-4s or other light observation aircraft either "shooting down" or otherwise outwitting high power fighters including at least one I've heard of with a Fiesler Storch. There are also cases of L-4's using make-shift bazookas on the wings to become tank hunters and at least one documented case of a pilot making "tank ace" killing a total of 6 AFV including more than one Panther!
Have you any more detail on that TA G? I'd very much like to hear more as I've only ever heard snippets and never found any better detail on the story. It's fascinated me since I saw this picture of a BU181 (?) with Panzerfaust strapped to the wings, a project I read was soon discontinued. From:Here Cheers, Adam.
A RN Swordfish pilot caused two Italian fighters to crash into each another by his maneuver's to escape their fire, but he wasn't awarded credit for their kills, because according to the official who refused his claim "He hadn't fired his guns"
Hi All, The October 2007 edition of FlyPast has a feature titled, "The Fragile and the Fast". It relates the wartime experiences of a wartime L-4 pilot and his perspective on the meeting of aircraft from different ends of the performance envelope. It also features a modern day 'fly off' at Duxford. Cheers Owen
Adam, ..discontinued by the end of the war perhaps ....how's your German...more on the Bücker Bü 181 Schulflugzeug (trainer) in the Panzerbekämpfung (tank hunting) role with 3. Panzerjagdstaffel here. In addition the article relates the defection of two flying instructors to Switzerland in April 45 at the controls of the machine illustrated.. Förderverein Bücker-Museum Rangsdorf e.V. --> Presse --> Flugzeug Classic Die Bü 181 der 3. Panzerjagdstaffel erhielten am 19. April 1945 ihre Feuertaufe. Sechs Bestmann starteten um 20.20 Uhr vom Flugplatz Ringingen aus in den Raum Tübingen. Zwar entdeckten die Besatzungen keine Panzer, konnten aber einige alliierte Lastkraftwagen zerstören. Einen Tag später, an Adolf Hitlers letztem Geburtstag, wiederholten die Bücker ihre Angriffe. Im Morgengrauen des 24. April startete die 3. Panzerjagdstaffel zum vermutlich letzten Kampfeinsatz ...six Bü 181s of 3. Panzerjagdstaffel (tank hunting squadron) flew their first sortie against Allied armour at 20h20 in the vicinity of Tübingen on 19 April 1945. Although the crews (pilot & navigator) failed to locate any tanks, a number of Allied trucks were destroyed. The sortie was repeated on the following day. 3. Panzerjagdstaffel flew what was probably their last sortie of the war at dawn on the 24th ...
Y I recall from years ago a magazine artical or something, where a Japanese fighter pilot described his navy squadron of Zeros encountering a 'small yellow biplane' over China. The biplane pilot proved to be a master, evading the attackers for nearly half an hour before crashing. The Japanese pilot was sure none of his comrads hit the target aircraft & it crashed by a pilot error.
