Warbird Information Exchange

Hi Juke,

Are you asking because you are researching, or are you asking to see if we know?

Typhoon actually did score V-1:s and also shot them down with rockets !!!

This is interesting, I wasn't aware that Tempests used rockets air-to-air against V-1s.

I'd be very interested in learning more about this, do you have any further references to this, Juke?

I wish you luck with this one, as sources differ, and no wonder, with guns/balloons and multiple fighter units all making claims ... and how do you add up the fractions etc.

However, 150 Wing Tempests (Newchurch, 3, 56,486 Sqns) appear to have been credited with somewhere between 598 and 623 Divers destroyed (and those figures include one kill by 56 Sqn flying Spit IXs before they equipped with Tempests). However Wg Cdr R.P.Beamont's figure for this (his) unit was 632. To that, for Tempests, you must add 15 for 274 Sqn at Manston and 88 for 501 Sqn Manston and Bradwell Bay, and 86.5 for the Fighter Interception Unit detachment, also at Newchurch. Roughly 800 in all.

Typhoons were not scheduled for anti-Diver patrols - most squadrons were with 2ndTAF providing direct support to the Normandy battle. However one unit of the two still in ADGB, 137 Sqn at Manston, requested permission to join in and were allowed to do so subject their primary duties (anti-shipping in the Channel). They were credited with 30 bombs destroyed, including two with rockets - surely some sort of first! One of these kills was with standard RP as carried by Typhoons - the other with special rockets which were trialled - they had proximity fuses and are believed to be the same as, or modified from, those used in the 'Z' batteries of antiaircraft rockets.

Best of luck with the other types ....

Chris Thomas