The next victories came on March 24. Forty-three of the 332d Fighter Group’s P-
51s escorted B-17s on a raid against the Daimler-Benz tank factory in Berlin. A total of 25 enemy airplanes rose up to challenge the bombers. Among them were FW-190s, jet ME-262s, and rocket-propelled ME-163s. While both of the latter two aircraft types could fly at least 100 miles per hour faster than the P-51 Mustangs, they could not turn asquickly. Rapid fuel consumption also restricted the time jets and rockets could engage in aerial combat. Short of fuel, the Germans limited use of the new airplanes, and experienced pilots were rare. Three of the 100th Fighter Squadron pilots each shot down one of the ME-262s, the first time members of the 332d Fighter Group destroyed any jets.
The day was not unmitigated triumph for the Americans, however. One of the jets shot the right wing off a P-51, and its pilot went down.
