Leon Blanding
4th Fighter Group 07/28/1943
HEADQUARTERS
FOURTH FIGHTER GROUP (USAAF)
Intelligence Combat Report
FIELD ORDER NO 83
Pilot: Lt. Leon M. Blanding
- 28 July, 1943
- 335 Squadron
- P-47C-2RE
- 1115 hours
- 10 miles Southeast of Utrecht
- Visibility very good; slight haze below
- Five
- FW 190
- 26,000 feet
- One FW 190 Destroyed
- Nil
- Nil
- Nil
- Statement of Claim:
I was flying as Red 3 alone as my number four had to return from the English coast. I saw two FW 190’s lining up to go down on a crippled Fort from the rear, This Fort was slightly behind and to the right of the main body of Forts. I immediately reported that I was going down, and Red 1 reported that he was going down to cover me. I opened fire on the rear FW 190 with a range of about 700/1000 yards. I know that the range was extreme, but I had to start shooting before they reached the Fort. I immediately observed strikes flashing on the front part of the fuselage and at the wing root on the port side. The enemy a/c practically stopped and I closed fast to 100/150 yards seeing strikes and parts flying off all the time and the a/c breaking up. Both of his wheels came down and his canopy flew off. It was all burned up and there wasn’t anything left but the frame.
I had to pull away because the other a/c had swung out to the left and then came back at me. I broke hard left and he hit me with a couple of a/g bullets. Red 1 could have taken this man but was out of ammunition having just shot down a FW 190 himself. I carried on and fired on four other 190’s all with deflection shots and observed no results from any of them. We gave the Forts all the help we could but apparently it came too late. I saw four parachutes open right beneath and behind the crippled Fort. I lost my No. 1 and 2 men, so dove for home and returned without further incident.
I claim one FW 190 as destroyed.
O. Ammunition Used: 1065 Rnds. .50 Cal A.P.I.
LEON M. BLANDING
1st Lt., Air Corps.
Official US Army Air Forces Combat Report by Leon Blanding of the 4th Fighter Group. This material is a transcription of official reports-testimonials of Leon Blanding's combat experience.
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