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Patrolling against V-1 was very unpopular among all the fighter
pilots. Pilots of 315 including.
That's how
F/Lt Marcisz recalls one of these patrols:
I took off for the third patrol that day. However tired, I concentrated on the
vectoring from the Operations Room. It was rather effective. Soon I spotted one
of those "Witches", as we called them, and gave a burst. The
"Witch" went down to the drink. A few moments later, my earpieces
clattered again and the controller ask me whether I feel like for another
"Witch". I said: "Sure, I like ladies. Even the witches." I
was given a new course, then some corrections. I saw it down on the starboard
side - "piece of cake". I pressed the tit and hundreds of bullets
sprayed my target. The bombs started to fly acrobatics and I followed to be sure
she wouldn't level again. She did just that. I gave her another burst directly
from behind. This time she went straight down making a big splash in the
channel.
I was still looking down there, when that ops-guy had told me I have yet another
date, with still some more coming up. So, I chased my third one and ran out of
ammo. I decided to try to "tap her off" with my a/c wingtip. This time
I ran out of space. I was approaching the balloons rapidly. To continue chasing
the Witch meant almost certain "forced landing" over some London's
building or bridge. The only thing left for me to do was to turn back home.
There is plenty of material
about V-1 bombs, and tactics to shoot them down. Here, I shall
give only official numbers of V-1 destroyed by
"Deblinski" and its pilot’s scores.
F/Sgt Jankowski 6 and 4 shared, F/Lt Pietrzak 4 and 1 shared, F/O
Swistun 3 1/2, F/Sgt Siwek 3 1/2, F/Sgt Bargielowski 3, F/Lt
Cwynar 3, F/Lt Schmidt 3, S/Ldr Horbaczewski 1 and 4 shared,
F/Sgt Donocik 2 3/4, F/Lt Wiza 2 1/2, F/Lt Stembrowicz 2, W/O
Slon 2, F/O Czerwinski 1 5/6, F/O Kliman 1 1/2, F/Sgt Kijak 1
1/2, W/O Idrian 1 1/3, F/Lt Blok 1, F/Lt Bibrowicz 1, F/O
Nowosielski 1, F/Lt Zbrozek 1, F/Sgt Bedkowski 5/6, F/Sgt
Ciumdziewicki 3/4, P/O Judek 3/4, F/O Haczkiewicz 1/2 and F/Lt
Polak 1/4. Total: 53 1/2. (All
RAF squadrons total for 1846 V-1s destroyed)
Below: details of squadron's two top V-1
scoring pilots
| W/O
Jankowski T. / 315 Squadron |
| Date |
Shot down |
Aircraft |
Location |
| Jul 11,
1944 |
V-1 |
Mustang
III. PK-R. |
Hastings |
| Jul 19,
1944 |
V-1 |
" ,
PK-X |
? |
| " |
1/2 of V-1 |
" ,
PK-X |
8m NW
Tenterden |
| " |
1/2 of V-1 |
" ,
PK-R |
? |
| Jul 26,
1944 |
1/2 of V-1 |
" , ? |
Beachy
Head-Hastings |
| " |
1/2 of V-1 |
" , ? |
" |
| " |
1/2 of V-1 |
" , ? |
" |
| Jul 27,
1944 |
1/3 of V-1 |
" , ? |
10m SE
Tunbridge Wells |
| Aug 28,
1944 |
V-1 |
" ,
PK-V |
off
Boulogne |
| " |
V-1 |
" ,
" |
10m s
Dungeness |
| S/Ldr
Pietrzak H. / 315 Squadron |
| Date |
Shot down |
Aircraft |
Location |
| Jul 19,
1944 |
2 V-1s |
Mustang
III, PK-A |
Newchurch
area |
| Jul 22,
1944 |
1/2 of V-1 |
" ,
" |
? |
| Jul 23,
1944 |
V-1 |
" , ? |
2m W Lympne |
| Jul 28,
1944 |
V-1 |
" ,
PK-U |
10m off Le
Touquet |
Andrews Field, Mar 1945.
Squadron in readiness for a "Diver" patrol. Since there
was a very few of Doodlebugs flying at that time, everybody was
relaxed. Pilots called it "shooting a bull around." A lot of
practical jokes were made, along with playing some funny and
sometimes peculiar games.
Same place, same time.
P/O Scott (left) and P/O Furman.
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