triple-play

Triple Play by Roy Grinnell First developed in May 1944, the twin-engine Northrup P-61 was the first USAAF aircraft to be specifically designed as a night-fighter. Appearing as it did late in the war, only four P-61 pilots achieved ace status, three in the ETO and one in the Pacific Theater. 1st Lt. Herman E. Ernst, assigned to the 422nd Night Fighter Squadron, became an ace in the predawn of 2 March 1945, when he executed a "triple play". Teamed with his radar observer, 1st Lt. Edward H. Kopsel, Ernst lifted his big fighter off the runway of strip A-78 in Belgium at 0348 hr. and contacted "Nuthouse" ground control. Directed by "Nuthouse", Ernst closed to 400 feet on a ME-110. Opening fire, he scored several hits on the fuselage and the '110 snapped violently to the right. Almost immediately Ernst and Kopsel were vectored to a second target, which proved to be a JU-87 Stuka dive-bomber. Closing to 500 feet, Ernst opened up with the four belly mounted 20mm cannons and the Stuka went straight into the ground. Three minutes later, Ernst was vectored to a third target. This proved to be another Ju-87. Ernst fired another burst after which the Stuka fell into a flat spin. A short time later they observed a large flash on the ground, thus bestowing upon them the claim of being aces. 1250 S/N Prints: Image Size: 25" x 18"

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