45 minute chase at 44.000 feet.

[Black Hornet]

After several missions without opposition in August of 1942 over Aldershot, Luton, and Bristol with their JU 86R (T5+PM) armed with only a 250 kilos bomb, they now prepare for a bombing raid over Cardiff on September 12, 1942.
Much to their surprise, they are intercepted at 44,000 feet by a Spitfire IX flown by Emmanuel Galitzine of BF 273 due to a transmission error. The pursuit in on and will last for forty-five minutes! H. Götz and E. Sommer will successfully bring their airplane back, having to land in Caen due to canon shells having pierced the airplane all over. It will be the first, and the only air battle at this high altitude during the entire war.

http://aerostories.free.fr/events/juvin/page2.html

[VtwinVince]

I would be surprised that the encounter lasted this long, in a Mark IX, at that altitude. Of course Erich Sommer gained fame later in the Arado 234.

[paddywhack]

I would be surprised that the encounter lasted this long, in a Mark IX, at that altitude. Of course Erich Sommer gained fame later in the Arado 234.

once they allies started intercepting the ju-86 they stopped using it for recon and it was the arado234 that was un-catchable and was the last lufty aircraft over Britain if i remember right!!!!

[Black Hornet]

I agree with Vince. Spit had 16 seconds of machine gun firing time. Unless the Spit vectored in other planes to continue the chase is the only thing I can think of. Perhaps the mission itself was 45 minutes & some artistic license was taken in the story. I dunno.