I am not sure. I have wondered that myself but have no knowledge of Nettleton's service prior to the V.C.
I can confirm that, what is Adrian saying. Kuttelwascher was not only the best Czech nightfighter, but also - although retiring from active flying in 1942! - an overall best Czechoslovak ace. Overall 20 airborne kills. You can read his full biography at my site: http://cshq-czechs.wz.cz/eng_bio%20kut.html I have a great book about Czechoslovakian nightfighter pilots. I'll try to dig out some info from there, now I'm at work...
Here is Kuttelwacher's brief bio & flgiht successes Name: Karel M. KuttelwascherRAF No.: 723 451 Born:23rd September 1916 - Svaty Kriz, Austrio-Hungary Died:18th August 1959 - Truro, Cornwall, England Starting Rank: Sergeant Final Rank: Squadron Leader Cs. rank: Nadporucik (equal to F/O) Serving since:14th August 1940Serving till:1st October 1942Units: Armé De l'Air: - CIC No. 6 Chartres - Groupe de Chasse III/3 RAF: - No. 5 OTU - No. 1 Squadron - No. 23 Squadron - No. 32 MUVictories: - 20 confirmed (15 in night) - 2 probably - 5 damaged Medals: Czech: - Čs. válečný kříz 1939 (War Cross 1939) 5x - Medaile 'Za statečnost' (Bravery Medal) 4x - Medaile 'Za zásluhy 1. stupně' (1st class Merits Medal & 2 Bars) - Pamětní medaile čs. zahraniční armády se štítkem F a VB (Memorial Medal of Czechoslovak Foreign Army with France and Great Britain Bars) French: - Croix de Guerre with one Palm and ne Silver Star RAF: - Distinguished Flying Crossl & Bar - The 1939 - 1945 Star (with France and Battle of Britain Clasps) - Air Crew Europe Star - Defence Medal - War Medal. 1939 19th June Serzant Kuttelwascher left ocuppied Czechoslovakia and escaped to Poland. 30th July Kuttelwascher signed for French Foreigners' Legion. That means when the war starts he will be added to Armé De l'Air. 1940 22nd July Kut and his unit fellows escaped to Algeria. His Battle of France campaign was over. Score: Two confirmed and one probably kills. 5th AugustLanding in the British port of Cardiff.14th AugustKuttelwascher was sent 5 OTU in Aston Down to be retrained for the Hawker Hurricane 3rd October Kuttlewascher was transferred to the 1 Squadron that day. He stayed with this unit for almost two years, and contributed significantly to its fame. 1941 Spring - early SummerKuttelwascher drew attention to him during these offensive actions of No. 1. He gained three certain and one probable kills in the Spring and early Summer of 1941. The machines shot down were Bf 109's, the E and F versions, generally considered superior to slower Hurricanes. 1942 1st April Kuttelwascher earned his first night victory. He shot down one Junkers Ju 88 and one damaged over the area of Melun. 17th April Shot down a Dornier Do 217 over St. André de'l Eure. 27th April Shot down one Do 17 and damaged a Ju 88 nearby Roun-Boos. 1st May Shot down one Junkers Ju 88 over Rennes and send a Heinkel He 111 to the Dinard Canal. 5th May Shot down three He 111's near St. André de'l Eure. 16th May Awarded with the Distinguished Flying Cross. 3rd June Shot down one Do 217 near Dunkerque 4th June Damaged a Do 217 over St. André de'l Eure. When returning from the area he managed to destroy another Do 217. 22nd June One Ju 88 destroyed and one damaged in the area of St. André de'l Eure. 27th June Got a Bar to his DFC. 29th June F/Lt Kuttelwascher scored his last victories. He shot down two Do 217's and one destroyed probably over Dinard airfield.. 8th July Kuttelwascher ended his great career in the No. 1 Squadron and joined the 23 Squadron to go on with two-engined Mosquitos NF Mk. II. 1945 18th AugustHe returned to liberated Czechoslovakia. 21st MayKuttelwascher resided to England where he found his familiy during the war years. 1959 18th August Squadron Leader-Staff Captain Karel M. 'Kut' Kuttelwascher, DFC & Bar, the best Czech fighter ace ever, dies on a heart attack in Cornwall, England.
Heres a link to a page dedicated to the He-219 Uhu night fighter. Heinkel He 219 Uhu An Allied Test Pilot who flew a Uhu after the war thought it was somewhat overrated: Captain E. M. 'Winkle' Brown, who flew several captured He 219s, wrote in Air International that the type was "somewhat overrated... It suffered from what is perhaps the nastiest characteristic that any twin-engined aircraft can have, that being it was underpowered. This defect makes take-off a critical manoeuvre in the event of an engine failing, and a landing with one engine out can be equally critical. There certainly could be no overshooting with the He 219 in that condition."
Heres a link to a page dedicated to the He-219 Uhu night fighter. Heinkel He 219 Uhu An Allied Test Pilot who flew a Uhu after the war thought it was somewhat overrated: Captain E. M. 'Winkle' Brown, who flew several captured He 219s, wrote in Air International that the type was "somewhat overrated... It suffered from what is perhaps the nastiest characteristic that any twin-engined aircraft can have, that being it was underpowered. This defect makes take-off a critical manoeuvre in the event of an engine failing, and a landing with one engine out can be equally critical. There certainly could be no overshooting with the He 219 in that condition." "The 219 was the only German night-fighter that could still climb on one engine, and even go round again for another landing attempt," Which is true? Strange. Thanks, GH.
It is somewhat strange that there is conflicting evidence. Methinks we should investigate further Gage.
It is somewhat strange that there is conflicting evidence. Methinks we should investigate further Gage. Had a quick look thru, 'Warplanes of the Luftwaffe', GH but it's got the same quote as the website (damn). I'll have a proper read later this week. The problem lay squarely in the growth of systems and equipment with which the Uhu was packed, so that a typical He 219A-7 version weighed more empty than any Ju 88 night-fighter, and more than a fully-loaded Mosquito. Thought that quote was interesting thou. Seems they couldn't get the powerplants that they wanted.
The 219 was underpowered , it was fine against bombers but lacked the speed to catch the Mosquito. The Ju-88 was more up to the task. Hitler ordered that the Luftwaffe were not to fly intruder missions after British bombers so the whole intruder efort by the Luftwaffe was a bit stop /start and for much of the war no flights took place - another example of his interferrence - operations over British airfields would have caused major problems. Simon parry had a work on Luftwaffe intruder flights published by Air Research Publishers in the mid -80's and in the 90's had a book published on Luftwaffe Nightfighter claims - both are very good. The 219 was slightly overrated - she was an adcanced design and was one of the few purpose built nightfighters to come out of WW2 but she was underpowered compared with the Mopsquito - the very aircraft she was built to catch.
The 219 was underpowered , it was fine against bombers but lacked the speed to catch the Mosquito. The Ju-88 was more up to the task. Hitler ordered that the Luftwaffe were not to fly intruder missions after British bombers so the whole intruder efort by the Luftwaffe was a bit stop /start and for much of the war no flights took place - another example of his interferrence - operations over British airfields would have caused major problems. Simon parry had a work on Luftwaffe intruder flights published by Air Research Publishers in the mid -80's and in the 90's had a book published on Luftwaffe Nightfighter claims - both are very good. The 219 was slightly overrated - she was an adcanced design and was one of the few purpose built nightfighters to come out of WW2 but she was underpowered compared with the Mopsquito - the very aircraft she was built to catch. I did read there was supposed to be an 'Anti-Mosquito' version. Ta James.
Some sample information from Siomon Parry's "Intruders over Britain" published back in 1987 by "Air Research". (Which at that time put out some excellent titles). ( The above is part of the losses for the night of 3/4th March 45.). S.P. quotes Kammhuber as saying in 1940: "When I want to kill wasps, I smoke out their nests. I don't swat the insects ion the air one at a time, I go to the nest when they are in". Gage , I took a look in Eric Browns "Wings of the Luftwaffe" - his own view on enemy aircraft which he had test flwon. His own view was that the 219 whilst it had a host of inovative features and was a sound all weather fighter it could deal effectively with any RAF bomber , he did say that it had vices - being underpowered was its main failing - its rate of climb was unimpressive and its acceleration being "somewhat sluggish", top speed being below that which the handbook indicated. He noted that the cockpit heating and de-icing were very effective and that she was "an excellent all weather fighter." "Landing was fast and heavy breaking had to be applied" , in gusty condition he felt she was "unpleasant to handle", in his view "I would say that this Heinkel fighter's reputation was somewhat overrated". His view on the power issue was that she was underpowered and that an engine failure on take off would have been "very difficult" and equally landing with one engine would have presented problems. In his view she lacked the preformance to deal with the Mosquito which was its rasion d'etre - for the RAF heavies it was an unpleasnat adversary. ( Brown was flying the 219 A). Smith and Kay in "German Aircraft of WW2" (Puntnam) mention an "Anti Mosquito" version the HE-219 B-2 , but numbers would seem to have been very limited within an already small production run for the model as a whole. To me she looks what she was a fighter , and from this view one which was ahead of her time - the Mustang was not a great aircraft until she got a decent engine - you have to wonder what this one might have been if she had more powerful powerplants ?
The Germans were using the Me 262 as a night fighter at the end of the war & was the only Luftwaffe plane to have any luck shooting down the Mosquito's check out this link Me-262B, Night Fighter - Interceptor, Luftwaffe
Smith and Kay in "German Aircraft of WW2" (Puntnam) mention an "Anti Mosquito" version the HE-219 B-2 , but numbers would seem to have been very limited within an already small production run for the model as a whole. To me she looks what she was a fighter , and from this view one which was ahead of her time - the Mustang was not a great aircraft until she got a decent engine - you have to wonder what this one might have been if she had more powerful powerplants ? The picture reminds me of a wasp, funny enough. Was the speed or powerplants different for the B-2 version? Thanks James.
The Germans were using the Me 262 as a night fighter at the end of the war & was the only Luftwaffe plane to have any luck shooting down the Mosquito's check out this link Me-262B, Night Fighter - Interceptor, Luftwaffe Just looking at this link you posted subs and came across the Me-309. It looks fairly similar to a P-51D Me-309, Fighter, Luftwaffe Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery!
Just looking at this link you posted subs and came across the Me-309. It looks fairly similar to a P-51D Me-309, Fighter, Luftwaffe Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery! The Martin Baker Mk5 look even more like a P51 D http://wp.scn.ru/en/ww2/f/1706/9/0/1
Gage The picture reminds me of a wasp, funny enough. Was the speed or powerplants different for the B-2 version I agree , wasp like - from this front 3/4 view she looks like a real killer. Michael Turner did a great painting of her , will try to scan it / part of it. Smith & Kay - the only comprehensive guide to German aircraft which I have does not eloborate on the 291 B - I found this which implies that the B model never got into service. Heinkel He 219 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The German answer to the Mosquito was the Focke-Wulf Ta 154. Like the British Mosquito it was also manufactured from wood. The plane apperaed to have a very promising future until the only factory, in Wüppertal, manufacturing the correct type of glue, called 'Tego-film', was destroyed in an air-raid. Only the prototype and pre-production planes had been constructed with the Tego-film glue before the factory was destroyed and an alternative glue used on all subsequent planes assembled. Only 10 planes were produced, but with a top speed of just over 400 mph it was not slow! The problem manifested itself in the structural failure of several early production aircraft (Due to the glue failing) and production was halted in late 1944. Potentially a decisive night fioghter that failed to enter proper service. It was fitted with 2 x 20 mm and 2 x 30 mm cannon in the nose and one 30 mm in the upper fuselage facing forward and upwards at 45o. Regards Tom
I agree , wasp like - from this front 3/4 view she looks like a real killer. Michael Turner did a great painting of her , will try to scan it / part of it. Smith & Kay - the only comprehensive guide to German aircraft which I have does not eloborate on the 291 B - I found this which implies that the B model never got into service. Heinkel He 219 - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia James, It certainly was a distinctive shape compared to most, but still a nice looking plane and most certainly very effective in the right hands. Another great Turner painting. Regards Tom
