Conversations with Peter Spoden

Conversations with Peter Spoden

Talks of school time and members of the Hitler youth before the war. Comments on using "Himmelbett" and "Zahme or Wilde Sau" systems with some description of night fighter operations. Goes on to describe the Luftwaffe system for making claims of shoot downs. Goes on to describe the relationship between claim numbers and decorations. Flew both Me 110 and Ju 88 and describes advantages of one over the other. Goes on to describe crewing and aircraft allocation. Describe how the war ended for him, Asked if he had met any other leading night-fighters or cross of gold winners like him, and stated that he met Hermann, Schnaufer, Sayn-Wittgenstein and others. Goes on with a little of Hermann's history. Further interview 2 January 2011 - there is an oral history sound track of this discussion linked to this item. Describes operations when he started in 1943 with the old "Kammhuber" line. Mentions the use of German speaking spoofing from 100 Group as well as jamming radio. Mentions how the use of Window on the Hamburg attack made Himmelbett non effective but also affected the Lichtenstein airborne and Würzburg ground radars. Reflects comments made by Göring on the Hamburg attack and resulting development of Wilde Sau. Describes how the night fighter system worked with a detailed description of diversionary an attack on Berlin by 8 Mosquito and gathering there by 250 German fighters while Bomber Command attacked Peenemunde. Continue with more description of Bomber Command countermeasures, use of female German ground controllers and use of local music to indicate location of British bombers. Includes how capture of H2S resulted in development of Naxos receiver which he used. Mentions that SN2 radar had six frequencies and was useful in finding bomber stream. Covers 100 Group tactic to simulate operations when none were on due to weather to keep German fighters and controllers up. States that he was an ace in American system as he claimed 10 German aircraft (baled out 4 times and crashed 6 times). Correspondence January 2013. Described sight and harmonisation for "schraege musik" guns. Make brief comment on tactics, use of SN2 and Naxos as well as homing on stream of window left by bombers. Mention getting audio waring of Mosquito radar from behind towards the end of the war. Concludes with a table listing his 24 claims. At the end 4 photographs. 1. Four aircrew and one airman in front of a Me 110 with caption 'Peter Spoden and his Me.110 crew (Oblt Johen shaking Peter’s hand'. 2. Six German airmen sitting round a table outside with caption 'NJG101 at Kitzingen 1943, Peter Spoden 3rd from left'. 3. A large group of airmen manhandling a Ju-88 with caption 'Ju.88 being manhandled by ground crew'. 4. Peter Spoden standing in front of an Me 110 night-fighter with caption 'Peter Spoden at the RAF Museum Hendon July 2005'.

2005-07

2007-11

2011-01

Nine page printed document with five photographs

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