WALLACE HOPKINS

A. Combat

B. 2 9 May 1944 -

F. O. No. 353, VIII Fighter Command.

C. 3 7 4 th Fighter Squadron

D. 1 330

E. Vicinity of Pitka, Poland.

F. CAVU

G. F W 190

H. 1 FW 190 D estroyed – 1 FW 190 No Claim Pending Assessment Film.

I. I was leading Noggin Blue Flight, and just prior to R/V'ing with the bombers three ships of my flight aborted. I continued and joined up with Noggin White Flight as White Two . At approximately 1330 Noggin White Leader spotted 5-plus FW190's diving through the bomber formations, ordered drop tanks and go get them. White Leader picked an FW 190 making a diving turn starboard at 5/6,000 feet and I followed him down. When within 500 yards White Leader opened fire, and I started firing with about 1-ring deflection, closing to 300 yards. I observed many strikes on the E/A's wings and fuselage. The Jerry kept turning starboard and White Three (Lt. Lichter) came up from behind, echeloned starboard and took up the chase. White Leader broke up right, and as I broke up left I observed the FW 190 break up right, split-S and go straight in from about 3,000 feet. As three of us were shooting at this FW 190, I make no claim pending assessment of the film. Immediately following the above combat I found myself at 2,000 feet and whipped around to port with the idea of making a picture of the above crashed E/A. Lo and behold, just as I straightened out, another nasty FW 190 who apparently had been trying to get on my tail whizzed by 500 yards in front of me. I forgot about making the picture of the crashed E/A, whipped around to port, latched on the tail of this Jerry and chased him down to the tree tops where he decided to make a 360 degree turn, with my ever-present company, then straightened out and by this time I was from 200 to 300 yards behind him dead-astern. Here I opened up with the old lead and the result was one of the prettiest sights I've ever seen. I observed numerous strikes on his right wing-root, which caught fire, then began to disintegrate and fill the otherwise beautiful sky with pieces flying in all directions. I went merrily along continuing to pump the old lead into him, and in just a couple of seconds he crashed head-on into a clump of trees to explode and scatter Fock-Wolfe and Jerry thru a large part of the woods; even setting the pretty trees on fire. I claim this FW 190 destroyed. J . 36 0 rounds of Ammunition Expended.