This day, In the early afternoon on the 17 of September 1944, Luftflotte 3 headquarters received words of a large-scale Allied parachutist landing in the Nederlands. This was the beginning of Operation Market Gardens, the Allied attempt to outflank the German defenses in the West. The Luftwaffe respons was weak and late, just like their reaction to the-Day landings. However this time it was not due to the defenders hesitation but to the Jagdwaffes general weakened state.

Just three Gruppen, all from JG 26 manage to engage the Allies this day. Although, not one of the German fighter pilots manage to reached the landing area and to attack the the transports as the sky was filled with Allied escort fighters.

Instead JG 26 attacked the escorts, The first Gruppe claimed three Spitfires for one loss. The second Gruppe claimed five Mustangs for the loss of two Fw 190s and the third Gruppe manage to claim three P-51 Mustang for one Bf 109 lost.

The third Gruppe with fifteen Bf 109s led by Major Klaus Meitusch climbed over the cloud layer, when Meitusch spotted a squadron of P-51s below them. He radioed that he was attacking, and dived through the cloud. His first burst of fire from his engine mounted 30 mm canon destroyed the No 4 plane of the cover flight, the P-51 B Mustang flown by 1st/Lt. Woodrow W. Glover from the 361st FG, who crashed att Grubbenvorst/Holland at 15.30. This was to be Meitusch 75th and last abschuss. Soon he would be chased by another P-51 from the 361st FG (more of this story next week).

Please note that there is not any photos of either machine, both are therefor based on other machines from the two fighter units.