Strana 32
#7474BOXART STORY
During the Battle of Britain, Luftwaffe air raids
with tens or even hundreds of bombers and
fighter escorts were designed to lure Hurricanes
and Spitfires into combat to destroy British fighter
units. These tactics impressed RAF command
so much that, in 1941, they decided to adopt and
modify them. The resulting operations were
named "Circus." However RAF used smaller
groups of bombers, typically six to twelve, most
of which were Blenheims. Over time, the number
of bombers occasionally increased to as many
as 24, supported by a highly complex fighter
escort system involving up to 350 Spitfires and
Hurricanes at various flight levels.
Despite these efforts, the Circus operations
posed little threat to the Germans. The small
number of bombers and the short range of
British aircraft limited their ability to target
strategic military or industrial sites effectively.
Furthermore, the Germans often struggled
to differentiate Circus missions from Sweep
or Rodeo actions, which were purely fighter
operations conducted over enemy territory.
German fighter units, particularly JG 2 and JG 26,
maintained their tactical superiority, with fewer
losses, despite being numerically weaker than
RAF Fighter Command units.
On July 10, 1941, the RAF conducted two raids by
Blenheims, escorted by fighters from No. 10 Group,
targeting Cherbourg and Le Havre. Both actions
were codenamed Gudgeon but were essentially
Circus operations. Fighters from No. 234, 317,
and 501 RAF Squadrons claimed 5-1-2 victories
against Bf 109s. Their opponents, two operational
training units, claimed six victories over Spitfires,
however, two of these claims were later rejected.
Ultimately, the RAF lost two aircraft from No. 234
Squadron during the engagement. One pilot was
killed, while the other, W/Cdr M. V. Blake DFC,
survived after ditching his aircraft. Blake spent
12 hours paddling in a dinghy toward the British
coast before being rescued.
Around midday, a formation of three Stirlings
from No. 7 Squadron RAF, escorted by fighters
from North Weald, Northolt, and Biggin Hill,
launched an attack on the Kuhlman chemical
plant at Chocques as part of Circus 42. Fighter
pilots from the Hornchurch and Tangmere Wings
provided Target Support, while the Kenley and
Northolt Wings managed Rear Support.
Due to thick cloud cover, the bombers
faced navigational difficulties. Near Boulogne,
the aircraft piloted by F/O C. V. Fraser DFC
sustained five direct hits from flak. The bomber
burst into flames, and although it appeared that
three crew members managed to bail out, none of
the seven airmen survived.
In multiple engagements with the escort,
JG 26 airmen claimed three Spitfires, while their
counterparts from JG 2 were credited with eight
victories. Among the victors was Hptm. Hans
"Assi" Hahn, commander of III./JG 2, who achieved
his 31st victory. His aircraft is depicted on Antonis
Karydis' box art.
On the German side, two Bf 109 E-7s from
II./JG 26 were shot down, resulting in one pilot's
death. Additionally, a Bf 109 F-2 from II./JG 2
was severely damaged in combat, and Oblt.
Frank Liesendahl, Kapitän of the 6th Staffel,
was seriously wounded by enemy fire.
The fighter escort claimed an 11-1-3 victory
against the Bf 109s. However, seven British airmen
did not return from the operation, and two others
escaped with badly damaged aircraft.
This aerial encounter unexpectedly provided
a significant benefit to the RAF: the first virtually
undamaged Messerschmitt Bf 109 F to fall into
British hands. The Stirling W7433, commanded by
F/O C.I. Rolfe, had been hit in the tail by a Bf 109
pilot after dropping its bombs. A lone German
airman had pursued the four-engine bomber
throughout its flight over the Channel. The top
gunner believed he had successfully damaged the
enemy fighter. Then, Sgt. Jan A. Śmigielski, flying
a Hurricane from the Polish No. 306 Squadron RAF,
rushed to defend the endangered bomber and
forced the German pilot to land near Dover.
Surprisingly, the German aviator who had
chased the bomber was a highly experienced
veteran: Hptm. Rolf Pingel, the Kommandeur of
I./JG 26. Pingel was a recipient of the Knight's
Cross and a veteran of the Spanish Civil
War, with 550 combat sorties in his logbook,
six victories in Spain and another 28 during World
War II. His Bf 109 F-2 (WNr. 12764) had not been
hit by gunfire but suffered engine trouble near
Dover. While Śmigielski claimed the victory, which
is duly mentioned in unit´s diary, the credit was
unfortunately not officially awarded.
Pingel's "Friedrich" was quickly repaired by RAF
technicians and made airworthy for extensive
testing. However, by the fall of 1941, the upgraded
Bf 109 F-4 had entered the battlefield, and the
RAF faced a new challenge with the arrival of the
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A.
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz
The July Circus
INFO Eduard32
January 2025