WORLD WAR TWO EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN
44 FLYPAST November 2018
“We immediately changed course
to pass behind the bogeys and
began a gradual climb. Shortly
thereafter, we identified the bogeys
as Ju 87s, in three flights, totalling
approximately 25.”STRUCK BY LIGHTNINGS
Unlike I. Gruppe, crews from II./
St.G 3 had arrived at the worst
possible time, although some
managed to attack the convoy before
the American fighters intercepted
their slower dive-bombers.
Leverette’s report continued:
“Lt Blue implicitly followed
instructions to maintain his flight
of three planes at altitude to cover
my flight as we attacked the Ju
87s at about 1215hrs. My flight
immediately dived to the left and
attacked the Ju 87s from the
left quarter.
“I attacked an E/A [enemy
aircraft] in the rear of the
formation, fired at about 20° and
observed smoke pouring from the
left side of engine. I broke away to
the left and upward, attacking a
second from the rear and slightly
below. After a short burst at about
200 yards this one rolled over and
spiralled steeply downward.
“After breaking away to the left
again and turning back toward the
formation of Ju 87s, I saw both of
them strike the water. Apparently
neither rear gunner fired at me. I
attacked another E/A from a slight
angle, left rear, firing just after the
rear gunner opened fire. He ceased
firing immediately and the pilot
jumped out, although I did not see
the chute open.
“I continued into the formation,
and attacked another from 30°,
observing cannon and machine
gun hits in the engine. Large pieces
of cowling and parts flew off and
engine immediately began smoking
profusely as the E/A started down.“Breaking away and upward to
the left, I re-entered the formation
and opened fire with cannon
and machine guns on another at
approximately 15°. The canopy
and parts flew off and a long flame
immediately shot out from rear
of engine and left wing root, rear
gunner jumping clear.
“Continuing into formation and
attacking another from slight angle
to left rear and below, I was forced
to roll partially on my back to the
left to bring my sight onto the
E/A, opening fire at close range.
I observed full hits in right upper
side of engine which immediately
began to smoke. I broke away
slightly to the left, and my element
leader, Lt Hanna, saw the enemy
aircraft strike the water.
“Attacking another aircraft from
behind and slightly below, the rear
gunner ceased firing after I openeda short burst. The enemy aircraft
nosed downward slightly and I
closed to minimum range, setting
the engine on fire with full burst
into the bottom of fuselage.
“The enemy aircraft dived abruptly
and I was unable to break away
upward, and in attempting to pass
under right wing of the aircraft,
three feet of my left propeller sliced
through the E/A. We engaged the
Ju 87s until they passed over
the south coast of Rhodes at
approximately 1230hrs.”
The P-38s returned to Libya.
Meanwhile HMS Carlisle was
taken in tow by the Rockwood and
brought back to Alexandria, but
the damage was such that the vessel
would never again put to sea.
Naval gunners claimed three
enemy aircraft – and the American
pilots sixteen Stukas and a Ju 88. In
addition to Maj Leverette’s seven“We immediately changed course “We immediately changed course “We immediately changed course
to pass behind the bogeys and to pass behind the bogeys and to pass behind the bogeys and “‘During our fi rst orbit around the convoy,
while fl ying a southwesterly course at
8,000ft, Lt Sprinkle called out ‘bogeys at
one o’clock...’”Above
Detail from ‘Fritz’
Eisenbach’s fl ight book.
Luftwaffe aircrew did
not generally use such a
document as a diary – but
former Luftwaffe offi cer
Hans Peter Eisenbach was
able to glean a wealth of
information from this, his
uncle’s, Flugbuch.Above right
A captured German
Kübelwagen put to use
by personnel of the 37th
Fighter Squadron.Right
The Royal Navy cruiser
HMS ‘Carlisle’ soon after
being attacked by Ju 87s
on October 9, 1943.