On this date 8 November the RAF Fighter Command large build-up on the English coast was detected by the German radars. In all eleven Spitfire Squadrons from No. 10, 11 and 12 Groups escorting two Hurricane fighter-bomber Squadrons and another twelve Blenheims.

As a part of the RAF "Ongoing Offensive" dubbed by the Germans as the "Non Sense Offensive", this mission, Circus No. 110 was to lure the Luftwaffe defenders up into the air in the war of attrition by heading toward two targets, the first a distillery at St. Pol and the another the Lille railroad repair facility.

Towards this enemy force the Jafü 2 dispatched all but one of its JG 2 and JG 26 Gruppe. Alerted in good time the Luftwaffe fighters had ample time to gain altitude and position. Meanwhile the Circus No. 110 problems began befor the force left England. Fog made it impossible for the two rear support wings to take off and the third, 12th Group's Digby Wing was led by D R Scott, an overaged Wing Commander without any combat experience.

The tables was set for a debacle as the RAF missed its rendezvous and the escort cover was forced to orbit south of Le Touquet to allow stragglers to catch up. Here the Spitfires was attacked by small groups of Bf 109s from the I and III./JG 2. Led by the newly promoted to Oberleutnant and Eichenlaubträger Siegfried Schnell the pilots from JG 2 filed a total of seven claims, in fact five Spitfires failed to return. Oblt. Schnell downed three Spitfires within five minutes, the last one fell befor his guns at 15:37 for his 57th confirmed abschuss.

In all JG 2 would file climes for total of 10 Spitfires (all confirmed) and JG 26 for another 14 (10 later confirmed). It is interesting to note that besides Schnell from JG 2, the JG 26 had a number of notable pilots that was in action and scored this day, by others Obstlt. Galland (two Spitfires), Hptm. Priller (two Spitfires), Hptm. Müncheberg (two Spitfires) and Hptm. Seifert (a Spitfire). On the another hand the Jagdwaffe lost two Fw 190s this day, both from JG 26, with one pilot KIA and another WiA.

One of the at least seventeen RAF pilots with their Spitfires the fail to return this day was the Wing Commander D R Scott, his last radio message was reportedly: "I Guess I'm too old for this, boys." After this Circus, the RAF would attempt no more large scale daylights raids until the spring of 1942. Their "Ongoing Offensive" was at an end.

Note the rudder on Schnells Messerschmitt, an attractive artwork of the Oakeleaves for his 40 victories and another seventeen white abschussbalken, kill-bars.

This profile is one of the four new profiles made during the week, I have mostly beeing occupied with new orders for my book no 16. This profile would be included in my upcoming profie book No 19.