On 8 April 1944 the Eighth Air Force attacked aviation industry targets around Brunswick. The Germans could not match the estimated 600 USAAF fighters dispatched to cover the bombers. JD 1, 2 and 3 were ordered to engage. Only the 2d Bomb Wing reached Brunswick. 250 Fw 190s and Bf 109s attacked the unescorted sections of B-24s. The fighters of JG 1 and JG 11 made head on attacks. Attacking the bombers furthest away from the P-51 escort, the Fw 190s made repeated passes knowing the P-51s above would not dive through the bombers to engage. On one pass, the German fighters mistakenly turned into the side of the Mustangs, climbing, after making an attack. The 357th Fighter Group shot down six.Caldwell & Muller 2007, p. 181. Among the casualties was Staffelkaptan Oberleutnant Josef Zwernemann. He had managed to claim a P-51 shot down, but in turn was shot down, but bailed out. Several of his staffel say they saw a P-51 in red and yellow markings shoot him in his parachute.
