February 8, 1944 was a four victory day for 1st Lt. James Morris. He downed 2 Me-109’s and 2 FW-190’s making his total 7.3 victories, and one of the top scoring P-38 Aces in the ETO. Shooting down a Me-109G at 1,000 feet, Morris then made a run on a locomotive and blowing it up, Morris was still on the deck when he was jumped from his six o’clock high by two FW-190’s. Turning into them, Morris got one on fire and went after the leader. The FW-190 pulled up into 2,800 ft overcast. They almost collided in a vicious loop. The P-38 got a long burst into the FW-190. Coming down out of the overcast, Morris saw the FW-190 crash on the edge of a German airfield. Flak was all around the P-38. Morris was heading home in overcast. A Me-109 approached at the same altitude, but did not see the P-38. Morris let him go by then made a hard sharp turn and was on the German’s tail. A short burst from the P-38 and the Me-109 crashed into a small hamlet. The FW-190 crashing in painting was flown by Otto Hummel, FW-190-A/7, S/N 340296. Please note that the signature of P-38 Ace Jim Morris was personally authorized by him to be printed on the lithograph from his actual handwriting as he was too ill to sign the prints at the time of the signing. |
