Airfix Model World – September 2019

IN FOCUS

KING’S CLIFFE P-38

commanding officer of III./JG 26,
who promptly shot him down. Lt
Thomas survived, but later died
in captivity of meningitis.

Pointblank combat
The arrival of 1944 didn’t bring
a change in fortunes, and losses
continued to mount through
enemy action and continuing
mechanical issues. On January
4, 42 P-38s took off to provide
escort for bombers targeting
Kiel – ten returned early due
to problems and a further two
were declared missing; three
more pilots were reported MIA
the following day. A degree of
revenge was gained on January
24, when the 55th Fighter
Squadron (FS) was bounced
by F w 190s near Koblenz.
Capt Clark McAuley damaged
one in a head-on pass before
destroying another. Lt Harry
Baker damaged another Focke
Wulf and had a lucky escape as
the enemy’s belly tank detached
and exploded as it passed over
Baker’s cockpit! Spotting two
of the Luftwaffe aircraft Capt
Maurice R McLary reported:
“I closed in on the Fw 190s to
approximately 200 yards, took
a one-second burst on the
last ship and saw strikes on
the left horizontal stabilizer. I
then corrected my lead, closed
into 100 yards and fired a 15º
deflection shot and saw hits on

the canopy. The Fw 190 levelled

off momentarily and I could see

his belly tank, so I put a two-

second burst into the tank from

75 yards and the enemy aircraft

exploded. The debris of the plane

went down in flames.” Even these

successes came at a cost, with

three more pilots from the group

failing to return.

Learning curves

Despite these losses, there were

pilots in the group who were

starting to get to grips with the

Lightning and how best to get

results. One of these was Capt

Lindol Graham of the 79th FS. He

had already claimed two enemy

aircraft as damaged when he

took off on January 29 as one

of 42 aircraft dispatched by

the group to escort bombers

over Frankfurt. As was often

the case, ten returned early

due to mechanical failures,

but the remaining P-38s were

involved in a series of dogfights.

Having already shot down

an Fw 190 in the target area

Graham encountered further

enemy aircraft as he returned to

King’s Cliffe; as he reported on

his return: “On the way home,

about 12:30, east of Lille whilst

covering a crippled bomber, I

saw two Fw 190s attacking a

bomber. I gave chase and after

15 miles drew up on the two-ship

flight. I headed for the wingman,

indicating 375kts at 2,000ft and

200 yards. I opened fire, I saw

hits, an explosion, pieces and

smoke and broke off at 75 yards.

My wingman saw the plane spin

down in flames. I turned to the

right and drew up behind the

leader and from 200 yards I fired

and closed into 75 yards. I saw

88 Airfi x Model World

Lt Richard Loehnert and his ground crew stand in front of P-38J 42-67916/KI-S ‘California Cutie’ of the 55th FS.

P-38J 43-28490/KI-R ‘Jeanne’, of the 55th FS at RAF Wittering. The aircraft was assigned to Capt Roy Scrutchfield.