Is this scene genuine?

[Prowlus]

just found this portrait on the web

http://www.super-mystere.net/aaw/planche/pages/44.htm

it shows what looks like a me-323 being pestered by a RAF B-26
Marauder. So now to bring in question the authenticity of the painting
does anyone here agree that the Marauder in the picture cannot
possibly be able to down that huge transport because :

a: it lacks the forward firing heavy calibre machine guns that some
later models featured

b: Theres no way its defensive armament can possibly hack this craft
down (The ME-323 could actually take quite alot of heavy cannon fire
and still fly home)

any opinions?

[Drewe Manton]

(Prowlus) wrote in news:af6b9634.0406101045.57935331
@posting.google.com:

> http://www.super-mystere.net/aaw/planche/pages/44.htm

Check around, there is plenty of reference to a Marauder downing an ME-
323 (I had forgotten it was RAF so can't confirm). Here's the story from
the horse's mouth:-

"Many thanks to Dick Maydwell DSO DFC (who commanded 14 Squadron during
1942/43) for sending me the following excellent "Boys Own" story in
response to my plea in the last newsletter:

Nowadays sportsmen spend a fortune in running a trip to South Africa to
shoot lion, kudu and impala. But in 1943, when our Squadron was stationed
at Protville in Tunisia, my Marauder crew enjoyed a splendid safari in
the Med, with transport, accommodation, guns and ammunition for free -
but watch out for Me109s!

A few days later we were happy to be back on our Med safari. We were
flying at sea-level close to Cape Corse at the tip of Corsica, when we
saw the most enormous aircraft flying towards us. It was a six-engined Me
323. I knew it had two formidable cannons firing aft so I manoeuvred in
front of the enemy aircraft and fired back at him. Soon three engines
were out of action. The huge aircraft lumbered on towards the Corsican
coast, where it crash- landed in a cloud of dust. Luckily for the crew,
it didn't catch fire and no-one was injured as the gun crews and tractor
drivers had all gone to the rear of the aeroplane. We did not shoot them
up on the ground. I have been friends with the pilot of the Me323 for the
last 21 years, but that is another story!

Today I am 90 years old, but I remember all those incidents as clear as a
bell."

http://www.14sqn-association.org.uk/newsletters/news2.html



--
Regards
Drewe
"Better the pride that resides
In a citizen of the world
Than the pride that divides
When a colourful rag is unfurled"

[Eunometic]

"Drewe Manton" > wrote in message
. 4...
> (Prowlus) wrote in
news:af6b9634.0406101045.57935331
> @posting.google.com:
>
> > http://www.super-mystere.net/aaw/planche/pages/44.htm
>
> Check around, there is plenty of reference to a Marauder downing an
ME-
> 323 (I had forgotten it was RAF so can't confirm). Here's the story
from
> the horse's mouth:-
>
> "Many thanks to Dick Maydwell DSO DFC (who commanded 14 Squadron
during
> 1942/43) for sending me the following excellent "Boys Own" story in
> response to my plea in the last newsletter:
>
> Nowadays sportsmen spend a fortune in running a trip to South Africa
to
> shoot lion, kudu and impala. But in 1943, when our Squadron was
stationed
> at Protville in Tunisia, my Marauder crew enjoyed a splendid safari
in
> the Med, with transport, accommodation, guns and ammunition for
free -
> but watch out for Me109s!
>
> A few days later we were happy to be back on our Med safari. We were
> flying at sea-level close to Cape Corse at the tip of Corsica, when
we
> saw the most enormous aircraft flying towards us. It was a
six-engined Me
> 323. I knew it had two formidable cannons firing aft so I manoeuvred
in
> front of the enemy aircraft and fired back at him. Soon three
engines
> were out of action.

I was wondering why the rear gunner didn't fire on the pilots but the
engines? I immagine this considered somewhat revolting or
unpleaseant? What was the attitude? I appreciat the story just
wandering at this because one often hears of acts of chivalry in WW2
like the legend of the Me 109 escorting a B17.

> The huge aircraft lumbered on towards the Corsican
> coast, where it crash- landed in a cloud of dust. Luckily for the
crew,
> it didn't catch fire and no-one was injured as the gun crews and
tractor
> drivers had all gone to the rear of the aeroplane. We did not shoot
them
> up on the ground. I have been friends with the pilot of the Me323
for the
> last 21 years, but that is another story!
>
> Today I am 90 years old, but I remember all those incidents as clear
as a
> bell."
>
> http://www.14sqn-association.org.uk/newsletters/news2.html
>
>
>
> --
> Regards
> Drewe
> "Better the pride that resides
> In a citizen of the world
> Than the pride that divides
> When a colourful rag is unfurled"