▁an ▁air field ▁at ▁Po ix - de - P ic ard ie . ▁Hof mann ▁was ▁transferred ▁from ▁ 1 . ▁Staff el ▁to ▁ 1 0 . ▁Staff el ▁on ▁ 2 8 ▁September . ▁Commander ▁of ▁ 1 0 . ▁Staff el ▁was ▁Haupt mann ▁Rudolf ▁Le usch el , ▁the ▁Staff el ▁was ▁renamed ▁on ▁ 1 ▁October ▁and ▁from ▁then ▁on ▁was ▁known ▁as ▁ 8 . ▁Staff el ▁and ▁a ▁squad ron ▁of ▁III . ▁Gruppe ▁commanded ▁by ▁Major ▁Klaus ▁M iet usch . ▁On ▁ 1 8 ▁October , ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Army ▁Air ▁Forces ▁( USA AF ) ▁target ed ▁D ü ren , ▁but ▁the ▁attack ing ▁bom bers ▁were ▁re called ▁over ▁the ▁North ▁Sea ▁due ▁to ▁bad ▁weather . ▁The ▁attack ▁force ▁was ▁accompanied ▁by ▁numerous ▁Lock he ed ▁P - 3 8 ▁Light ning , ▁Republic ▁P - 4 7 ▁Th under bol t ▁and ▁Sp it fire ▁f igh ters ▁which ▁had ▁the ▁mission ▁to ▁clear ▁the ▁coast al ▁area ▁of ▁Luft wa ffe ▁f igh ters . ▁III . ▁Gruppe ▁encountered ▁the ▁Sp it f ires ▁from ▁No . ▁ 1 3 2 ▁Squadron ▁near ▁Bé th une . ▁In ▁this ▁encounter , ▁Hof mann ▁claimed ▁a ▁Sp it fire ▁shot ▁down ▁near ▁Ar des . ▁ ▁On ▁ 4 ▁January ▁ 1 9 4 4 , ▁the ▁USA AF ▁E ighth ▁and ▁N inth ▁Air ▁Force , ▁together ▁with ▁the ▁R AF ▁Second ▁T act ical ▁Air ▁Force