The Goose Shoot
Text: Jan Bobek
Illustration: Gareth Hector
Cat. No. 82243
During the final weeks of the North African campaign in northern Tunisia, hazardous shipping left Axis forces increasingly dependent on large formations of three-engined Junkers Ju 52 transports and six-engined Messerschmitt Me 323 Gigants. Fighter escorts from Sicily landed and refuelled in Tunisia before accompanying the transports back home. Although the formations often passed through unopposed, they sometimes suffered losses to Allied fighters and bombers.
The largest engagement involving the transport aircraft took place on 18 April 1943 - Palm Sunday, or Palmsonntag in German. At around 10:00 German time, the first formation of Ju 52s arrived at Tunis under the protection of Bf 109s from JG 53. Their cargo was unloaded with remarkable speed. Some of the escort fighters were occasionally retained in Tunisia during the day, committed to operations over the front and sent back to Sicily only in the evening. This did not happen on this occasion, however, and half an hour later the Junkers transports and their escort departed for Sicily. At 16:35, another formation of Ju 52s began taking off from Sicily for Tunis, this time escorted by 7./JG 53 and part of II./JG 27. The formation landed safely in Africa shortly after 18:00 German time. Again, within 30 minutes, the Junkers aircraft were ready for the return flight. Their escort was reinforced by two Bf 110s from III./ZG 76 and three Me 210s from III./ZG 1.
Allied intelligence learned of the planned airlift during the morning of 18 April. From late morning onwards, the US 57th Fighter Group dispatched patrols towards Tunis, but they returned empty-handed throughout the day. In a final attempt, shortly after 17:00 Allied time, the Americans sent out 48 Curtiss P-40s of the 57th FG and another 12 P-40s from the 324th FG. They operated in conjunction with a dozen Spitfire Mk IXs of No. 92 Squadron RAF, which provided high cover.
Near Cape Bon, the Americans encountered 65 Junkers transports flying low over the sea. The Spitfires and some of the American fighters engaged the German escort, while the remaining P-40s fell upon the transports. Thirty-seven Junkers aircraft crashed into the sea, while another nine returned to Tunisia damaged. The Ju 52s belonged to the transport units KGr. zbV 1, KGr. zbV 600, KGr. zbV 800 and Tr.St. II.Fl.K, the transport squadron of II Fliegerkorps.
The number of aircraft claimed by the Americans was far higher, entirely understandable given the circumstances of the engagement. There were instances in which an American pilot took poor aim and its burst missed the intended target, only to strike another Junkers flying nearby. One pilot later recalled having three Ju 52s in his gunsight at the same moment.The transport aircraft were arranged in V-shaped formations which resembled wedges of geese, the spectacular action was therefore immediately dubbed the “Goose Shoot” by the press, although today it is better known as the Palm Sunday Massacre. The box art depicts the aircraft of Capt. James G. Curl of the 66th FS, 57th FG. Although officially a flight leader, Curl led the entire American formation during the mission and was the first to sight the Junkers transports flying low over the sea in the gathering dusk. He was credited with two Ju 52s and one Bf 109 confirmed destroyed, as well as two Ju 52s damaged. Shortly after, he was promoted to major and assumed command of the 66th FS.
Once the Germans realised the scale of the force confronting them, they dispatched additional fighters from I. and II./JG 53, but they were unable to prevent the massacre. After the battle, the German fighter units were missing one pilot from 4./JG 53, who disappeared during combat with Curtiss P-40s near Zembra Island. Another pilot, this time from II./JG 27, bailed out of his Bf 109 in the same area after suffering engine failure. Several Bf 109s returned to Tunis damaged. At least one German twin-engined fighter plane was lost.
Following the battle, the pilots of JG 53 claimed five P-40s and one Spitfire destroyed. The Americans lost six aircraft and at least three pilots from the 324th FG. An NCO from II./JG 27 claimed a Spitfire shot down south of Zembra Island. A radio operator aboard one of the Junkers transports was also credited with shooting down an aircraft that he identified as a Buffalo.
The British high-cover formation claimed one “Macchi C.202,” while the Americans concluded their spectacular goose shoot with claims for 60 Ju 52s, 14 Messerschmitt Bf 109s and two Bf 110s destroyed.
Before the end of the fighting in Africa, one further engagement of a similar nature took place, albeit on a smaller scale. South African pilots flying P-40s inflicted heavy losses on a formation of Messerschmitt Gigants.