Albert Schlegel
4th Fighter Group 04/08/1944
HEADQUARTERS
FOURTH FIGHTER GROUP
A.P.O. 637, U.S. ARMY
Pilot’s Personal Combat Report
VIII Fighter Command F.O. 291
- Combat
- 8 April 44
- 335th Fighter Squadron
- 1415 to 1500 hours
- In Brunswick Area
- Clear – slight ground haze.
- FW-190; Me-109
- One FW-190 destroyed; one FW-190 destroyed (shared); one Me-109 destroyed (shared); one FW-190 damaged (ground); one train damaged.
I. I was flying Green One in Greenbelt Squadron. We were on course and on time when the bombers called for help. We headed South and joined them, finding them quite happy. Shortly after, 2 large gaggles of E/A were sighted, so we attacked them. During the attack I saw 2 white-nosed P-51s with 2 FW-190s on their tail, so I took my section down to help them. Green 3 went after one; I got a few deflection shots at the other, then he broke for the deck. Before I could close on him another P-51 piloted by Lt. Monroe (334 sqdn) got behind him so I continued on down giving him cover. After a long chase Monroe got strikes all over the 190, the coupe top came off and the 190 crashed in some trees, burning.
A little after I spotted an A/D with a Me-210 setting on it. As I came over the trees, on the edge, there were 2 FW-190s taxying (sic) across—one made the trees, the other seeing he couldn’t make it turned his nose into my attack. I closed very close and saw many strikes. Just as I was about to make another attack on the A/D, Lt. Monroe called me and said that he was chasing a FW-190 but as he was out of ammunition he’d keep him busy till I came up. After a short chase I got quite a few strikes on the fuselage of the 190 and set the droppable belly tank on fire. Then large pieces started coming off and he crashed into the deck and burst into flames. Just as we set course for home, I sighted a Me-109E and we gave chase. He must have had everything forward because continuous black smoke came from the exhaust. After quite a long chase we were just getting into range of him when a FW-190 came in from above. Both Lt. Monroe and myself turned into him. As soon as we did this the Me-109E pilot turned and crash-landed in a small ploughed field. I did not see the pilot come away from the 109. The FW-190 started to turn in a tight circle above a forest. I fell in line astern, firing with a large deflection at about 250 yards. Meanwhile Lt. Monroe kept making attacks trying to straighten him out. I don’t recall seeing any strikes and after about the fourth or fifth circuit with 20 degrees of flap and 110 mph airspeed, I was still drawing deflection but on the verge of flicking into the trees. So I broke off at this time Lt. Monroe saw the 190 hit the trees and go skidding through them leaving a path of small fires. I didn’t see the crash but saw the smoke from the results.
Later I shot up the locomotive of a train.
A/C #: P-51B 10NA 43-106464
Ammunition used: 1035 rnds .50 Cal. A.P.I. & T.
ALBERT L. SCHLEGEL
1st Lt., Air Corps.
Pilot.
The action in this combat story can be seen on this DVD.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Albert Schlegel of the 4th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Albert Schlegel's combat experience.
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