Hi Reader, welcome back to our weekly coverage of what happened in the skies and on the ground during World War II. This week, we cover a tragic miscommunication that led to a fierce friendly fire dogfight over Europe and a German aircraft that bears resemblance to the American P-38 Lightning. Join us as we delve into the history of one of the most pivotal conflicts ever and remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.
Friendly Fire
This week in history, on November 7, 1944, the Niš incident occurred during World War II, marking a tragic friendly fire engagement between US and Soviet forces. The incident resulted in numerous deaths and strained relations between the two allies. Although the United States formally apologized, citing a navigational error, the Soviet Union maintained that it was an intentional attack. To this day, the exact reason for the assault remains unclear, with both sides classifying the incident.
At that time, the 82nd Fighter Group of the 15th US Air Force had the mission of supporting Soviet troops in the area. On the morning of November 7, a US strike force, consisting of P-38 Lightning squadrons from the 82nd, was tasked with attacking German motorized columns near Sjenica, Serbia. Simultaneously, the Soviet 6th Guards Rifle Corps was advancing from Niš, Serbia, toward Belgrade, Serbia, significantly ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, this critical intel didn't reach nearby American pilots, who were unaware of the Soviet movement in their vicinity. Tragically, these American pilots, despite being aware of the absence of German troops near Nis, mistook the Soviet convoy for enemy forces and attacked using rockets and bombs. On the ground, the Red Army troops made numerous attempts to identify themselves as friendly, but American pilots failed to notice. The incident resulted in the loss of 34 lives, including Lieutenant General Kotov, the commander of the 6th Guards Rifle Corps, along with 39 injuries and the destruction of 20 cargo trucks.
As a second wave of American P-38 Lightning aircraft prepared for a strafing run, General Vladimir Sudets, the commander of the 17th Air Army, stationed at the Niš airbase, ordered the immediate take-off of Soviet Yakovlev Yak-9s. He believed the American P-38s were German Focke-Wulf Fw 189 aircraft. The responding Soviet pilots quickly engaged the P-38s, leading to a fierce dogfight filled with machine gun fire, cannon fire, and anti-air flak. Soviet reports state that the skirmish ended when Captain Aleksandr Koldunov, a Soviet Ace, approached the leading P-38 at close range and waggled his wings to reveal the red star on his aircraft. This signaled to the American fighters that they were engaging their allies, and they departed, escorted safely by the Soviets out of the region. The entire skirmish lasted only 15 minutes but resulted in loss of life on both sides.
Following the incident, both parties conducted investigations, and the Soviets demanded an explanation. Accounts of the battle vary significantly. According to US reports, 4 Soviet aircraft were downed, along with three American P-38s (two pilots killed in action and one making an emergency landing). An American pilot who participated in the raid mentioned that four to five Soviet aircraft were shot down. Meanwhile, Soviet reports state that the USSR lost two aircraft and downed five P-38s. The total estimated casualties ranged from 31 to 37 individuals.
The United States formally apologized to the Soviet Union, attributing the attack to a grave error by American pilots who were ordered to target German forces on the road from Skopje to Pristina. However, the Soviet Union remained dissatisfied with this explanation, maintaining their belief that the attack was intentional, as American pilots failed to acknowledge the multiple attempts made by Soviet troops to identify themselves. The USSR kept the incident secret, potentially to prevent Nazi Germany from gaining any propaganda value from the event.
The German Flying Eye
The Focke-Wulf Fw 189 Uhu was a German twin-engine tactical reconnaissance aircraft developed and used during WWII. Known as the “Flying Eye,” it was developed in the late 1930s by Focke-Wulf in response to the German Ministry of Aviation's need for a dedicated reconnaissance aircraft. Over 800 aircraft were developed between 1941 to 1944 and saw extensive action in the Easter front of the war.
In 1937, the German Air Ministry laid out plans for an advanced reconnaissance aircraft, featuring a single engine and a three-person crew to replace the Henschel Hs 126, which had just entered service. Both Arado and Focke-Wulf manufacturing companies took on this challenge, with Focke-Wulf's submission ultimately favored for its twin-engine approach. The winning design, crafted by Focke-Wulf's chief designer Kurt Tank, featured a twin-boom arrangement that allowed a crew of three to be centrally housed in the fuselage, offering them excellent all-around vision and customizable rear defenses. Initial test flights occurred in July 1938, and the aircraft entered service in 1940, continuing production until mid-1944. The Fw 189 was manufactured in large numbers at the Focke-Wulf factory in Bremen, at the Bordeaux-Merignac aircraft factory in occupied France, and the Aero Vodochody aircraft factory in occupied Czechoslovakia. A total of 846 were built, and it served as the primary reconnaissance aircraft for the German Army.
Referred to as the "Fliegende Auge" (Flying Eye) of the German Army, the Fw 189 was heavily employed on the Eastern Front, where it earned the nickname "Rama" (meaning "frame" in Russian, Ukrainian, and Polish), given its distinctive tail boom and stabilizer shapes, which imparted a unique appearance. Despite its modest speed and seemingly delicate construction, the Fw 189 displayed remarkable maneuverability, making it a challenging target for attacking Soviet fighters. It also excelled as a light bomber and, during late 1944, proved effective as a night bomber. However, as the war neared its end, rapid advancements in aircraft technology rendered the Fw 189 obsolete, leading to its retirement in early 1945.
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Thank you for tuning in to this week's coverage of what happened on the ground and the skies during World War II. We hope to see you again next week for even more incredible true stories. And as always, see you in the skies.
-TJ
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"...Flying has meant the companionship of men, the intoxication of speed, the rush of air and the pulsating beat of the motor awaken some answering chord deep down which is indescribable." - William 'Bill' Millington, RAF
