Tidal Wave Footage Photos, 15th AAF and Luftwaffe, 'Black Sunday', 1 August 1943

The ARR airman at left of the photo is Ofiter de echipaj clasa a III-a aviator Ioan Maga. The Adjutant stagiar aviator at the right of the photo could be, but I am not certain, Traian Dârjan.

Col. Dénes

Maga was in the 53rd Fighter Squadron, protecting the Ploiesti airfields. He claimed one B-24 on 1 August. The other Romanian was probably also a member of that squadron. It couldn't be Darjan, who was in Trans-Dnestra at the time, learning to fly the Bf-109G.

Welcome to the forum. Would you like to share your experience on 1 August 1943 with us? It would be very welcomed.

First on Ploesti, first shot down.... Brewery Wagon, pilot J.Palm



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And the german pilot who gave the final shot to Brewery Wagon.
Hauptman W. Steinmann


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Hello

Indeed Wilhelm Steinmannn who was assigned to the Hauptmann Manfred Spenner .Kommmandierenden Offizier (CO) der 3te Luftflotte at Ploesti shot down on Aug 1, 1943 2 x B-24 's the single pilot who was credited with 2 airkills on that day, what was the name of the second B-24 he's shot down ?


Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 11:13 am

PUDGY

Hello Victor


From a Luftwaffe source I just heard that on that picture following pilots are showing up on the photo from left to right , Capitan Aviator Toma commander of the specific Roumanian Sqd which defended Ploesti, Hans Hahn J.Rauch or Werner Gerhard , the second AAR ooficer couldn't be indentified

Best Regards
Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 11:14 am

According some sources. Col.Comptons " TEGGIE ANN" group lead plane who took the wrong turn to Bucuresti was ordered to brake radio silence by Brig. Gen Uzal Ent the Tidalwave commander who also flew with the raid and drop the bombs over Boucharest and nearby Defense installations

Regards
Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 11:16 am

The "PUDGY" Crew was the following :

P MILTON TELTSER ( POW-ROM)
CP WILMER BASETT (POW-ROM)
OBS WILLIAM BEAUMONT (POW-ROM)
N SNAFORD REBACK ( KIA)
B ROBERT WARD (KIA)
E-TT B.HIGGINS (KIA)
R WALLANCE MILLIGAN (KIA)
TB VANCE TAYLOR (KIA)
WG ROBERT LOCKY (POW ROUMANIA)
WG FRANCIS DOLL (POW ROUM)
TG RICHARD MURRAY (KIA)

The 5 crew members returned to the US and died of agging, the KIA Airmen according to my sources are burried in Boucharest at the American section 15th AF , Airmen Cimitary in Boucharest ,some of them may have been later returned to the US for final burial.....have you ever visited that section of the Cimitary....any photos ?

Best Regards
Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 11:10 am

The Romanian pilot on the right does indeed look like cpt. av. Lucian Toma, CO of the 53rd Squadron.

Btw, it is not AAR, but ARR (Aeronautica Regala Romana)

yea sorry Victor ARR , but who's the second Roumanian officer or pilot from right to left ?

Alex

This post has been edited by alexkdl on December 09, 2004 11:07 am

GUTEN TAG ALEX

The gun camera photos posted by you on which a B-24 over ploesti is being hunted was from the BF-109 of Hauptamnn Manfred Spenner the commandant of the Luftwaffe Black Wing Staffel near Ploesti

Gruss
Manfred

ALex, also the photo I post now is of Hauptmann Wilhelm E.Steinmann who as you said on your messages shot down 2 Liberators. I admire your mesaages you have a great knowledge and huge resources . Are you a pilot ? you seem to be familar with pilot expressions .

Manfred

[manfredG was another avatar of alexkdl and was banned - admin comment]

No, the pilot on the right can't be Cpt.av.Lucian Toma. The uniform is not of an officer but rather of a sergent ( Adjutant av.). But I confirm too that the pilot on the left as Denes said is "Ofiter de echipaj" Maga Ioan.