Hipolitus T Biel
4th Fighter Group 02/10/1944
HEADQUARTERS
FOURTH FIGHTER GROUP
A.P.O. 637 U.S. ARMY
PILOT’S PERSONAL COMBAT REPORT
- Combat
- 10 Feb 1944
- 334 Fighter Squadron
- 1105 hours
- Rengele(?) area
- Fair—low cumulus at 7,000 ft.
- Me 109
- 1 Me 109 Destroyed; 1 Me 109 Damaged
- Narrative:
About 2 minutes after Pectin Squadron RV with the rear box of bombers to our port, near Lingen, 2 Me 109s passed thru our Blue Section. Red Section started breaking down on them.
Flying Blue 4, I noticed a Me 109 positioning on my tail. At once I R/T Blue 1 that I was breaking port. The e/a fired as I broke down, following Blue Section.
I zoomed at 450 m.p.h. and fired at 400 – 200 deflection as he was positioning on Blue 3. He turned into me and then down as I fired intermittingly, observing several strikes on the fuselage. I claim this Me 109 Damaged.
He was experienced pilot as he broke port or starboard every time I started to fire.
A P-47 (HL- ) joined on starboard as No. 2, turning into four 109s. A melee resulted in a (indistinguishable word) Luftberry (sic) to port with the e/a (indistinguishable word) to concentrate on HL-.
I got astern last e/a, following down and port as he broke. In the dive, my 3rd burst severely clobbered e/a cockpit. I lost e/a following me in cloud at 6,000 feet. Breaking up thru cloud, I saw my e/a ahead and leveling off. I closed to 250 yards and fired. Again more severe strikes around cockpit and engine. He immediately bailed—just as my ammunition ran out. I noticed 2 guns in both wings had jammed.
The P-47 (HL- ) again rejoined me. As we climbed, 2 more 109s dived on us. Diving for scattered cloud, I last saw the P-47 (HL- ) start turning into them. I evaded in cloud, coming to home base.
J. 1051 rounds fired
H.T. Biel,
1st Lt., Air Corps.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Hipolitus T Biel of the 4th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Hipolitus T Biel's combat experience.
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