I am just typing up an entry from the No.96 Squadron ORB for the 7th / 8th May 1941, both Liverpool and Manchester were being attacked that night and No.96 Sqn seemed to have patrolled the area south and east of Liverpool and over the ‘Cheshire Gap’.
One of their crews had attacked and destroyed a Ju88 when they reported that they were attacked by a Ju88 Nightfighter and were in combat for up to 10 minutes before it was finally seen heading veritcally downward “apparently out of control”. It was given as probable so if the a/c did go down it was off shore to the west of Liverpool.
Was it common for Luftwaffe nightfighters to fly with bomber streams to attempt to intercept attacking RAF nightfighters?
By: Malcolm McKay - 31st March 2025 at 14:19
It was a common thing late in the war for German nightfighters to fly back with the bombers returning after a raid to attack them when they were at their most vulnerable in the landing circuits. RAF nightfighters were deployed to prevent this and therefore nightfighter engagements over Britain would not be all that unusual.
By: mhuxt - 31st March 2025 at 14:18
Part of NJG 2 was on intruder ops at around this time I think. Will see if I can have a squizz in Simon Parry’s “Intruders Over Britain” for you.
By: mhuxt - 31st March 2025 at 14:17
NJG 2 was certainly in action over the U.K. that night, making claims for four British aircraft (Wellington and a Blenheim over the North Sea, and one Wellington at each of Nottingham and Wells) and losing one to a Beaufighter of 25 Squadron.
There’s no information about any action similar to the one you’ve described though.
By: Alan Clark - 31st March 2025 at 14:16
Here is the entry from the ORB:
May 7th / 8th 1941, “Defiant I N1803
F/O V.B.S. Verity, Pilot, and Sgt F.W. Wake, A.G.
Patrol Cotton South at 15,000ft
Up 01.20
Down 02.35
F/O V.B.S. Verity took off from Cranage with Sgt Wake as his gunner. Their attention was attracted to the western end of the patrol line and here they saw three enemy aircraft. With two of these combats ensued and resulted in a Ju88 being shot down in flames and a Ju88 night fighter probably destroyed.
While at 17,000 feet F/O Verity sighted the Ju88 about 1,000 feet below him. In spite of evasive action on the part of the enemy, F/O Verity succeeded in manoeuvring his Defiant to port of and below the Ju88 at 75 – 100 yards range. Sgt Wake registered a four second burst into the port engine.
Finding that he was overshooting, F/O Verity throttled back and manoeuvred his Defiant into the same relative position as before. Sgt Wake, with the enemy aircraft filling the sight got in a further four second burst into the port engine. He saw some of the DW ammunition enter the cockpit. At this moment the Air Gunner sae the first flames and burning oil issue from the port engine, and he then saw the E/A do a very steep banking turn to starboard, followed by a steep dive, apparently on its back. The Ju88 was last seen at 9,000 feet. The pilot was not in such a good position as the gunner and lost sight of the enemy machine for a time. When next sighted it was travelling westwards and diving. F/O Verity gave chase and flames pouring from the port engine.
At this moment F/O Verity sighted a second Ju88, apparently investigating the falling enemy aircraft in front, and it was between himself and the burning Ju88.
Second Combat: F/O Verity now decided to attack this second Ju88, which turned out to be a Ju88 Night Fighter. Expecting some sort of evasive action on the part of the E/A, the Defiant crew was surprised to find the E/A which they thought at the time to be a bomber, commence to develop a head on attack. Evading this with a quick manoeuvre – a steep banking turn and side-slip across and below its nose, and keeping out of the way of the nose guns, F/O Verity got inside the turn of the Ju88 and slightly below it, and while xxxlling round, manoeuvred his A/C to give his gunner a good shot at the port engine at 100 yards range. Sgt Wake registered a three second burst into it.
Evasive tactics on the part of the German pilot, and, being able to momentarily get out of sight of the Defiant pilot, the E/A got round on to the tail of the Defiant. A shout from his gunner and F/O Verity had climbed and banked, and as the E/A passed below the tail of the Defiant, Sgt Wake registered hits with a one second burst. The Ju88 was now in front and above and the return fire from the enemy passed 12-15 feet above our fighter. Green tracer was observed, and also cannon fire. Our AG took advantage of the exposed cockpit and, with a three second burst full into the upper half of the cockpit at point blank range, silenced all return fire from that quarter.
As soon as F/O Verity saw that there was no return fire from the Ju88, he closed in immediately to give his gunner the chance of firing a four second burst into the fuselage and port engine from a range of about 75 yards. Nearly all the fire was seen to find its mark. The E/A was chased down for about 3000 feet through the clouds and was finally lost to view. When last seen it was diving steeply.
This combat lasted for about 10 minutes. Both the pilot and his gunner believe that the E/A was a Ju88 Night Fighter, as there was cannon fire from the nose, and rather a lot of it. They think that there was more than one cannon (fixed) in the nose.
During the combats 1034 rounds of ammunition were fired.”
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January 17, 2010 at 12:52 am