272 Squadron RAF and Spitfires from No. 249 Squadron RAF intercepted. Eight of the transports were claimed and more damaged. The only group success was the shooting down of a Martin Baltimore, No. 69 Squadron RAF. On 22 January 1943 another patrol protecting a convoy engaged B-26 Marauders from the 416th Bombardment Group with JG 53—the latter succeeded in downing two, confirmed by US losses, but the results of ZG 26's involvement are unclear. In action with P-38s of the 82nd Fighter Group and B-26s of the 319th Bombardment Group, ZG 26 lost two crews who intervened to protect freighters and two He 111s that came under attack on 31 January 1943. ZG 26 continued over-water operations claiming a P-38 on 1 February, losing three crews and one damaged to the US 82nd Fighter Group protecting two tankers from 319th Bomb Group on 3rd. By 28 February 1943, Trapani in Sicily was III./ZG 26's base under the command of Hauptmann Vögel. Amongst the few successes was the action 17 March 1943, when the pilots claimed four or five Bristol Beauforts from No. 272 Squadron RAF. The action involved III./ZG 1 and their Me 210s. Successes for Zerstörer pilots were few in the Mediterranean at this stage. Feldwebel Günther Wegmann was among the few exceptions—a picture showing eight claims on his rudder exists; though the port vertical stabiliser shows visible signs of combat damage via four 20mm cannon shells and a single .303 holes. Wegmann claimed 14 aircraft flying the Bf 110 and Me 410 and became one of the few German jet aces. It is known that the unit remained in Africa until the late stages of the Battle of Tunisia, for a group machine was reported destroyed at Sfax airfield on 30 March 1943. In early April 1943, Operation Flax began, which cut off the air-bridge from Sicily to Tunis. Two crews were shot down on the operation's first day. In combat with 82nd Fighter Group, 95th Squadron P-38s, III./ZG 26 defended Ju 52 transports yet again, losing two. They claimed seven P-38s, but only three US fighters were lost. 15 Ju 52s were claimed by American pilots. The 96th Squadron spotted and engaged the Germans claiming another four but losing one pilot to III./ZG 26. On 16 April III./ZG 26 claimed five B-17 Flying Fortress bombs from the 97th Bombardment Group and possibly another from the 301st Bombardment