On 8 Nov 1944, P-51 44-14093 was escorting B-17s on their return from Merseburg. Flying at 20,000 feet, pilot 2Lt Richard W. Stevens observed an Me 262 diving underneath with ten or twelve P-51s in pursuit. With his wingman, Stevens joined the chase. The jet went into a cloud and reappeared having made a 180-degree turn. Stevens closed to within 150-200 yards and delivered a burst of fire in the are of the jet's left engine and wing root. The jet's pilot reported to Hesepe aerodrome below that his left engine was out, and Stevens thereafter had no trouble keeping up with the jet to deliver several more bursts. The jet made a left downward turn into a cloud and was later reported by Adolf Galland to have dived vertically into the ground. The pilot of the jet was Major Walter Nowotny (255 confirmed victories). This was Stevens' only victory.