Ernest Duderstadt

364th Fighter Group 12/27/1944

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ENCOUNTER REPORT

1. Combat

2. 27 December 1944

3. 384^th Ftr Sq--364^th Ftr Gp

4. 1115

5. 15 miles W of Koblenz

6. CAVU

7. FW-190 & ME-109

8. 2 FW-190s destroyed; 1 ME-109 destroyed

I.      Narrative:

               I was leading 384^th Yellow Flight on the way to Frankfurt on a free lance patrol in support of bombers. We were told by the Ground Controller that bandits were in the Koblenz area so we headed that way. While flying at 15,000 ft, I spotted bogies on the deck and our section went down to investigate. There was an U/I P-51 shooting at a FW-190 and I was the e/a go in. We were down to 6,000 or 8,000 ft and went back up. At 12,000 ft I noticed my wingman was the only one with me.

               Soon the Controller called the Group Leader and told him to send help to the bombers and to take a course of 240⁰. We started on that course and I soon spotted a gaggle of 5 planes near the deck. Lt Leftwich and I went down and ran into about 20 FW-190s in a gaggle. Immediately they went into a double Luftbury (sic). We made 2 or 3 turns with them when an FW-190 broke out on the deck and I chased him.

               I closed in on him from astern and gave him a 3 second burst from 200 yards. There were strikes on the fuselage and cockpit and the pilot seemed to lose control of the plane. It crashed into the side of a hill where it exploded and burned.

               There were about 8 190s on my tail, so I made a tight turn to the left and my wingman went to the right trying to lose them. I started to climb in a tight turn and outclimbed them. Other P-51s came in the area so they did not attempt to climb with me, but hit the deck going in all directions.

               I dove down to the deck again and singled out another 190 and started to chase him. The enemy pilot must have seen me on his tail because he started to turn left with me. After 3 turns he did an inverted snap roll and “dished out” of it to the right. As he came out of the roll, I fired a short burst. Although I observed no strikes, the plane went straight in. He probably lost control from 300 ft. The e/a exploded when it hit the ground and was burning when I last saw it.

               I pulled up and saw 2 more FW-190s on the deck, so I went down on them. I was too eager and tried to get both of them with several short bursts. There were strikes on the engine and fuselage of the one on the right, but the plane could not have been badly damaged. They chopped throttle or dropped flaps for I overshot and had to pull up again. We were right on the deck. As I pulled up, they followed in back of me and I thought they might get me. However, 2 U/I P-51s shot them down before they could even fire at me.

               Then Lt Faulkner, 384^th Blue Flight Leader joined me and we started to climb up to head for home. We were up to 5,000 ft when I saw 10 plus ME-109s on the deck with 4 P-51s making passes at them from 3,000 ft. Lt Faulkner and I peeled down on them. I made two passes at one of them and fired without seeing any strikes. They were short bursts from 100 to 200 yards, and I was closing very fast. Finally I got on his tail just as he was firing at a P-51 in front of him. At a range of 150 yards, I gave him a 5 second burst and saw strikes all over the fuselage and wing roots. The Jerry pilot jettisoned his canopy and it hit my right wing. I was right on the deck and I pulled up to the right. As I glanced back, I saw a 50 foot trail of smoke and fire where he had gone in.

               I wanted to take pictures of the crash, but there were other enemy planes in the area. I had seen several fires and crashed planes smoking on the ground during the fighting on the deck.

               I found Lt Faulkner again, and since we were low on gas and ammunition, we set course and returned to home base. I think the “G” suit saved my life several times and I never want to fly without it.

               I claim 2 FW-190s destroyed and 1 ME-109 destroyed. I also scored several strikes on an FW-190 that some other pilot destroyed by shooting him off my tail.

 

J.     Ammo Exp.                                               Aircraft Markings                    Aircraft No

        1500 rds, .50 cal.                           5Y-X                                       44-14762                    

ERNEST H. DUDERSTADT O-763135

1^st Lt, Air Corps,

384^th Ftr Sq

LEON B. SITTENFELD

1^st Lt, Air Corps,

Ass’t Intelligence Officer.

 

SUBSTANTIATIONS

               I substantiate the claim of Lt Duderstadt’s first FW-190 destroyed. I then became separated from him.

DANIEL L. LEFTWICH

1st Lt, Air Corps

384^th Ftr Sq

               I substantiate the claim of 1 FW-190 that Lt Duderstadt destroyed. It was the second one he claims in the above encounter report.

FREDERICK T. O’CONNOR

1^st Lt, Air Corps

384^th Ftr Sqdn

 

 

 

 

 

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Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Ernest Duderstadt of the 364th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Ernest Duderstadt's combat experience.

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  364th Fighter Group