Encounter with Me 262s Over Berlin

In February, the 353rd came to grips with the Luftwaffe in the air only once, and then it was a hard chase to score. The quarry were Me 262 jet fighters, and the engagement can best be described by the encounter report of the Group Leader, Major Blickenstaff.

"I was flying with the 350th Squadron as Jonah (Group Leader) on a free lance mission, 22 February 1945. While we were patrolling between Brandenburg and Muritz Lake, my White Three informed me that the bombers had reported jet aircraft in the vicinity of Brandenburg. From northeast of Brandenburg we encountered four Me 262s and the entire Group gave chase.

"When first seen, these E/A were in a diving turn to the left in a staggered string formation. The E/A broke formation when they reached a southeasterly heading and Seldom (350th) Squadron chased one which continued in a left turn. We followed him through a cloud and discovered ourselves over the heart of Berlin, at 7,000 feet. A short time later, still chasing this E/A north of the city, we encountered another Me 262 flying at about 2,000 feet in the haze coming toward us. I rolled over after him, my flight following, and dropped tanks in an effort to gain more speed. This E/A evidently decided to take advantage of the haze and hit the deck. We chased him for 7 or 8 minutes at full throttle in an easterly direction but were unable to close. Being a bit discouraged and believing that we were near the Russian lines, I decided to break off. After a climbing turn to reassemble the flight, we started homeward on a course of 280".

"We were at about 8,000 feet northwest of Berlin when I noticed another 262 flying east in the haze. I was able to pick up enough speed in the dive to close on this E/A and opened fire at a range of 600 to 700 yards. Strikes were observed in the left jet, and a thin stream of smoke began to trail from it. Finding that I was able to close even more, I opened fire again at a range of 4-500 yards. The E/A responded with some rather wild evasive action so that I was unable to keep my sight upon him. The Hun then dove for the deck and started pulling away, but I scored strikes again on the left jet. The E/A pulled up sharply and slowed down enough for me to close and get strikes again. Smoke began to pour out of the left jet. The pilot jettisoned the canopy and bailed out the right side. The plane rolled to the left and split essed into a forest. I rolled over and snapped a picture of the wreckage with my K-25 side camera about two seconds after it went in."

This victory was Blick's fifth, making him an ace. Meanwhile, after the four Me 262s were bounced, Capt. Gordon B. Compton caught on to the number four jet and fired by line of flight calculation. He scored a few hits on the right engine which slowed down the jet enough for him to open fire from 350 yards dead astern. Further hits were scored, the plane zoomed, the right engine burst into flames and the pilot bailed out. The Me 262 went down, bringing Compton's total of air victories to 4.5.

If the hunting of enemy aircraft in the skies was poor in February, hunting of grounded aircraft picked up considerable. The 27th turned into a field day, following a bomber escort to Leipzig. Major Walker L. Boone, leading the 350th Squadron, went looking for targets of opportunity in the Botha area. "Old Eagle Eye" spotted 50- plus assorted aircraft on Rohrensee Airfield, made a quick pass to test the defense, received no response and then led the Squadron in a ring-around-the-airdrome strafing attack. Results of the 350th's strafing were 37 planes destroyed on the ground and 16 damaged. Major Boone himself accounted for 7-4. Capt. Herbert G. Kolb was second high scorer with 5-3. 2nd Lt. Roland J. Lanoue destroyed 2 FW 190s and 2 Me 410s.

On the following day, B-17s were escorted to Kassel, after which the squadrons went looking for ground targets. Lt. Lanoue spotted a small satellite field near Gotha and was given permission to look it over. He found planes dispersed and well camouflaged and made a strafing attack, soon being joined by other squadron planes. Strafing lasted for several minutes, and when it was over 8 twin engine planes and 1 single engine plane were destroyed and 3 twin engine planes damaged. On the way out two 350th planes revisited Rohrensee Airfield, destroying one twin engine plane and damaging another. Major Blickenstaff, who had been leading the Group with the 350th, had suffered a flak hit while escorting the bombers. He returned safely to base with his hydraulic system damaged and made a beautiful one wheel landing.

Throughout February, after completion of their escort duties, the Group went after ground targets, other than aircraft, on 14 days, including each day from the 20th through the 28th. Claims from ground attacks for the month were:

• 113-19 locomotives,
• 50-369 rail cars,
• 35-23 motor vehicles,
• 0-11 tanks,
• 0-5 gun positions,
• 0-6 buildings and 0-4 barges.

Ch 28

Ch 30