Home » Lt Carroll Ofsthun’s encounter with an Me 262

MY ENCOUNTER WITH AN Me 262, 19 APR 1945

All that I recall of this particular mission was that we were escorting bombers to a target in the vicinity of Prague. Me 262 aircraft were reported taking off from an airdrome in the area.

I spotted an Me 262 several thousand feet below me. I dove to attack from his rear at high speed and noted strikes in the area of the cockpit and on the fuselage as I fired short bursts. He took no evasive action — presumably, because he had not detected me coming up on his tail. I pulled up and came back over him as I saw that he had bellied into a field. I did not fire again — only shot my gun camera — as far as I was concerned, the plane was destroyed. Whether or not the pilot was killed or wounded, I do not know.

This happened to be my next to last mission before completing my tour, so I was happy to have at least one enemy aircraft to my credit.

Lt. Carroll W. Ofsthun

I just learned recently, when I attended a MN. Aviation Hall of Fame banquet, that I was one of two Minnesotans credited with 262s.