DUXFORD'S

摘要

Scant intelligence was all the Allies had on the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet fighter, but even that was cause for concern. If the Luftwaffe had a jet, it was certain to be faster than any of the USAAF's and RAF's piston-powered fighters. The first hard evidence of the performance of the '262 came on July 26, 1944 when Lt Alfred Schreiber damaged an RAF photo-reconnaissance Mosquito of 540 Squadron. The Luftwaffe had opened its jet 'account' and it seemed the new Messerschmitt was going to reign with impunity. At Duxford, Cambs, the P-47 Thunderbolt-equipped 78th Fighter Group (FG) lost the CO of the 82nd Fighter Squadron (FS) on August 2, 1944. Capt Charles Clark had been shot down and was starting life as a prisoner of war. His replacement was Major Joseph Myers from the 55th FG at Wormingford, Essex, who had been flying the P-38 Lightning and had achieved three aerial victories.