During this day the III./JG 27 experienced their largest losses during the French Campaign, with two Bf 109 Emil´s lost in air combat with another two machines damaged. According to the Germans the lost machines was both shot down by RAF Hurricanes.

The first that was lost was flown by Lt. Hermman Dörr who was shot down and killed by Hurricanes close to Neufchatel at 9.30 hours. The another Bf 109 was flown by the future Experten Lt. Klaus Mietusch that made a force landing at Offronville and was promptly taken prisoner.

This all for own claims of seven RAF fighters, of which later six was confirmed, including five Hurricanes and one Spitfire.

Miltusch that had scored his first, a Hurricane over Dunkirk on 31 May at 15.40 hours was during his whole career hampered by low self-confidence and asserted himself that he was a "bad shoot". In spite of this, Mietusch managed to claim 75 confirmed victories before being killed in combat on 17 September 1944.

His own explanations for his successes although a "bad shot" was that he closed in to his target, so close that he could simply don´t miss, and by sheer force of will fought his "demons". Other fellow pilots in his Gruppe and later under his command, noticed that Klaus Meitusch never turned down a mission and was always ready to take on the enemy.

Besides his accomplishments this also resulted in him being shot down, force landed, bailed out, and crashed after combat no less than ten times in five years of combat. And the first time being downed was this day on 8 June, perhaps a victim of Sgt. Pearce

In total during the Battle of France, 1,526 RAF personnel were killed, wounded or reported missing and 959 RAF aircraft were destroyed, 508 of which were BAFF (British Air Forces in France) aircraft.

Please note that this profile would be included in my next Luftwaffe Fighter Aircraft book, Profile Book No 16.