QUINTUS KLATT

A. Combat

b. 9 August 1944

c. 79th Fighter Squadron, 20th Fighter Group

d. 1045

e. S.W. Ulm

f. 3/10 overcast. Heavy haze and scattered clouds up to cloud base at 22,000 feet.

g. FW 190

h. 2 FW 190s Destroyed 1 FW 190 Destroyed – Shared with Lt. Reichard

i. I was flying Yellow 3. We were at 16,000 feet when White Section leader called out bandits about to attack bombers 10 miles away at 3 o'clock from us. E/A were 1,000 feet above us. We made a climbing right turn to 20,000 feet and came up behind the 190's out of the sun. Yellow 1 and 2 got on the tail of one and I tailed a 190 attempting to get a shot. I fired a 70 o to 90 o overhead deflection 2 second burst from 150 yards. I saw strikes on canopy and wing roots. This was at 17,000 feet. I then pulled the nose through and fired another 3 second burst. Saw hits on the canopy and fuselage. The E/A snapped into a power spin, went into the ground and exploded. No chute seen. Upon looking back to clear my tail I saw another 190 coming in at 9 o'clock in a shallow dive, 1,000 feet below. I made a tight left turn and fired a short burst - 60 o to 80 o overhead deflection shot. Saw hits on canopy and wing roots. I fell in on his tail and closed to 150 yards dead astern. Got hits on cockpit and wing roots. He rolled over on his back and I fired a second burst which hit his cockpit. He rolled out and to the left where he stalled and disappeared into the haze in an uncontrolled spin at 11,000 feet. My belief is that the pilot was killed. I made a left turn and saw a 190 making a left turn probably firing at me from 800 yards. My turn put me right on his tail at 600 yards. He made a diving left turn to the deck as I closed to 300 yards. I gave him a short burst getting hits on his wings. Gave him several short bursts but my two outboard guns on each side were out of ammunition. On next burst at 75 yards my right inboard gun jammed. Saw strikes on left wing with pieces flying off. I gave one more long burst causing pieces to come off canopy and my last gun jammed. We were on deck. I had to cut back to 3000 R.P.M.s and 25" Hg. to stay behind him. I called to my wingman to get in position as my guns were out. After a couple of minutes Yellow 4 fired from 250 yards and got strikes on cockpit. The 190 made a climbing right turn when Yellow 4's shots set plane on fire. Fire and smoke came from cockpit. He half rolled to right and into the ground where it exploded. I claim 2 FW 190's Destroyed and 1 FW 190 Destroyed shared with Lt. Reichard. j. Ser. No. of A/C: 44-13873 A/C Marking: MC - U Ammunition Expended: 1100 rds. 50 cal.