Robert Allen

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. 1100
5. 15 miles SW of Koblenz
6. CAVU with little haze on deck
7. FW-190 and ME-109
8. 2 ME-109s destroyed; 1 ME-109 destroyed shared with Lt Sagar; 1 FW-190 damaged. 2 ½ -0-1.

I.      Narrative:

               My position was No. 3 man in 384^th Blue Flight. We were in the Koblenz area at the time MEW control reported bandits in our vicinity. Our squadron went down to investigate bogies at approx. 12,000 ft. We lost them and started to climb to altitude again when one ME-109 passed directly underneath our flight going in the opposite direction. I called it in and then saw another ME-109 going in the same direction as the first and to the left from us. I called a break and started after the second ME-109. We still had plenty of speed from our dive so I closed rapidly and gave him a long burst from 300 yds. before I overran him. I observed strikes about the tail end and wing roots and immediately there was a small explosion and black smoke came trailing back from the 109. I pulled up to one side in order to get on his tail again. He went into a dive and bailed out from 8,000 ft before I could get at him. I started to rejoin the squadron when I observed his chute open at about 5,000 ft. About this time I noticed I lost my wingman. I noticed a large V formation of FW-190s headed south around 5,000 ft. I was about 7 o’clock to them and approximately 4,000 ft above. I dove down to get “tail end Charley” and the formation started to break up. Before I could get my “pip” on him another FW-190 broke into me and started shooting. At the same time “tail end Charley” broke into me and I gave him a short squirt from 200 yds with 40 degrees deflection as he passed through my sight. I observed strikes on his tail and then I had to break as the other FW-190 was still trying to get me. I had plenty of speed on him so I pulled above the formation and out of range. By the time I had turned back the gaggle was pretty well broken up and other P-51s were mixing it up with them. I continued to make climbing turns trying to pick one for myself when I saw a lone ME-109 on the deck headed east. Just as I got on his tail another P-51 cut in on him from the other side and started to shoot. I could see tracers going directly underneath and into the 109. I gave him a short squirt but observed no strikes. I broke off combat to avoid interfering with the other P-51 who had swung in front of me and directly behind the 109. Smoke was pouring from the 109 and the other P-51 was still on his tail and shooting so I climbed up to look for better hunting elsewhere. Lt Sagar from the 385^th Sq got on my wing so we stooged around together for a few minutes looking for trouble. I sighted four ME-109s and four P-51s on the deck headed north. Our planes were half mile behind giving chase. I peeled off after the fourth e/a and opened fire at about 600 yds and fired three bursts before overrunning him. There were numerous strikes all over the fuselage and wings and he was smoking badly when I pulled off to the side and up. He bellied in, bounced up and then bellied in again. The other P-51s were on him by then and I observed one P-51 shooting at the 109 on the ground.

               I didn’t wait for the results since one of the other 109s swung east and I was busy getting him lined up in my sight. I closed to 100 yds and gave him a long burst at close range. He was badly hit and oil from his plane came back on my windshield and covered most of my canopy. I lost him then because of the oil so I skidded to one side to keep him in view. At that time Lt Sagar came along side of me, so I told him to finish off the 109 for me which he did. We saw it crash and burn.

               About this time we started to receive quite a bit of light flak. We were 10 miles SE of Koblenz so we pulled out of that area and climbed to 10,000 ft over a wooded area and headed west. I got a homing into “Messenger” where we landed, refueled and came back to England. I was using a K-14 sight for the first time.

               I claim 2 ME-109s destroyed and 1 FW-190 damaged. The third ME-109 destroyed I share with Lt Sagar.

J.     Ammo Exp.                                               Aircraft No.                 Aircraft Marking                                                      1510 rounds, .50 cal.                     44-15027                     5Y-A

ROBERT K. ALLEN, O-731916

1^st Lt, Air Corps

364^th Ftr Gp

 

LEON B. SITTENFELD

1^st Lt, Air Corps

Asst Intelligence Officer

 

SUBSTANTIATION

               I substantiate the claims for the last two ME-109s--one of which I shared--with Lt Allen as destroyed.

WILLIAM S. SAGAR, O-826776,

2^nd Lt, Air Corps

385^th Ftr Sq

               We substantiate the claim of Lt Allen of an ME-109 destroyed; the first one in the above encounter report.

ROBERT S. FAULKNER, O-429777

1^st Lt, Air Corps,

384^th Ftr Sq

FREDERICK T. O’CONNOR, O-824552

1^st Lt, Air Corps

384^th Ftr Sq

 

 

 

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

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Robert Allen: Personnel File

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  364th Fighter Group