Strana 27
#84215
BOXART STORY
For the German Luftwaffe, Sunday, December 19, 1943,
marked one of the days that foreshadowed its fate in the
coming months—a prelude to the agony dictated by the
subsequent dominance of the Allied air forces over Europe.
At the same time, however, this day also signalled that winning
air superiority would by no means be easy for the Allies.
The U.S. 15th Air Force, activated just a few weeks
earlier on November 1, 1943, was beginning to hit its stride
and transform into what it was meant to be—a strategic
air force. Although its operations in the first few weeks
were limited primarily to targets in central and northern
Italy, it increasingly penetrated into Austrian territory and
later into Germany itself. Since exceptions prove the rule,
it should be noted that the Fifteenth bombed targets in Austria
for the first time just one day after its combat debut—on
November 2, 1943—when, from bases in Tunisia, it attacked
the Messerschmitt factories in Wiener Neustadt. More intense
pressure, however, came later.
A classic example was the Advent season of 1943.
On December 19, the 15th AF dispatched more than 150 of its
four-engine bombers to destroy the Messerschmitt factory
in Augsburg. For some units involved in the defence of the
Reich, this was their first opportunity to face four-engine
bombers attacking not only from the west (the 8th Air Force)
but now also from the south. And that was precisely the sign
mentioned above that the German “Fortress Europe”—which,
as is well known now, lacked a roof—would gradually begin to
resemble a house of cards.
Even for the 15th AF aircraft, this long-range mission
was by no means an easy undertaking. One of the problems
was insufficient fighter support. Although 123 Lightnings
and 43 Thunderbolts provided escort, they were unable
to accompany their big brothers all the way to where they
were needed most. The first wave of bombers, consisting
of four-engine B-24 Liberators from the 98th and 376th BG,
reached the target shortly before noon. The bombs from fifty
Liberators fell primarily in the area south of the factory itself.
In the target area, the bombers were attacked (according
to American reports) by about 60 single- and twin-engine
aircraft. Although American reports list Bf 110s and Ju 88s
as the attacking twin-engine aircraft, these were primarily
Bf 110s from ZG 76. Its pilots claimed six Liberators shot
down over this section of the US bombers stream, or as
“Herrauschuss.( singling out a Viermot from its combat box,
thus designating it for further attacks)”
Fighter pilots from JG 51 and JG 3 also reported shooting
down additional Liberators. In reality, five B-24s were lost.
The claims made by American gunners were also overstated.
In total, they reported 13 enemy aircraft destroyed, 8 probable,
and 1 damaged. German losses, however, were significantly
lower.
The escorting Lightnings rejoined the bombers on the
return flight, in the Chiusa area.
A second wave of bombers, consisting of more than
a hundred B-17s, arrived in the target area a little later, by
which time Augsburg was already completely shrouded
in clouds. The formations therefore turned southwest
and bombed a secondary target, the marshalling yard in
Innsbruck. They arrived there between 12:10 and 12:15. Shortly
after leaving the target, the B-17 formation was also attacked
by groups of German fighters. According to American
estimates, there were also around 60 of them. Here, too, it was
a combination of single- and twin-engine Messerschmitts.
This time, the formation was dominated by Bf 109Gs from
Jagdgeschwader 3. Its three Gruppen took off from their
bases at Volkel, Bad Wörishofen, and Neubiberg.
The most successful unit within JG 3 that day was its
III. Gruppe under the command of Hptm. Walter Dahl, who
claimed a B-17 at 12:35 at an altitude of 6,000 m above the
Zillertal Alps. This was reportedly his 56th victory.
In total, German fighters claimed twenty B-17s shot down,
compared to the five actually lost in this battle. One additional
B-17 landed at sea during the return flight, and one returned
to base with extreme damage.
In this engagement as well, American claims were
significantly overstated—B-17 gunners reported 24 fighters
shot down, 4 probable, and 4 damaged.
The escorting Lightnings also joined the B-17s only on
the return flight. Due to poor timing of the rendezvous, the
P-47s from the 325th FG failed to join the formations; their
pilots therefore found a number of ground targets in the
Senigallia and Ancona areas on the Italian Adriatic coast to
keep themselves occupied.
Walter Dahl, who was twenty-seven years old at the time
and whose Bf 109G-5 is featured in the current illustration,
had been assigned to JG 3 since the beginning of his
service with the Luftwaffe. He began his career within its
Ergänzungsgruppe in 1941. Later, as a pilot with Stab II./JG 3,
he participated in the campaign against the Soviet Union and
scored his Gruppe’s first victory there in the early hours of
June 22, 1941.
In June 1942, he assumed command of III. Gruppe of JG 3
and, in this capacity, also participated in the battles over the
Alps on December 19, 1943. At the end of June 1944, he assumed
command of Jagdgeschwader 300, which was assigned to the
defense of the Reich. As part of its operations, Obstlt. Dahl
participated in refining the Jagdverband formations (large
fighter formations) and in conducting assault attacks against
formations of four-engine bombers.
At the end of January 1945, Dahl left JG 300 and
became Inspector of Day Fighters. However, he did not
give up combat flying and on February 28, he achieved his
100th confirmed victory. He ended the war in the ranks
of III./Ergänzungs-Jagdgeschwader 2 as an Me 262 pilot.
Illustration: Piotr Forkasiewicz
Over the Frozen Alps
Text: Jan Zdiarský
INFO Eduard
27
October 2026