Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

I aquired a short Film of a captured DO 335 in Flight.
The Film was taken by Kit Carson , 357th FG , from a
P - 51 Chase Plane. This was Post War somewhere in
Germany.
Can anyone tell me who the Pilot was ?
Thanks,
Mike

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Mike,

There's a story on this website, but not sure if it fully relates to your question: http://www.skylighters.org/dornier/index.html
Scroll down to second half of story.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Gentlemen,

May I comment to clarify statements made on the above Skylighters web site.

Regarding the statement that one Do335 was found at Lechfeld. According to an Air Technical Intelligence report, "Evaluation Report 39, CIOSC, Lechfield Airfield, 2 May 1945, Report No. PB105, on file at the Library of Congress, Washington, DC, Capt. B. E.Vollprechet and F/Lt S.J. Reason visited Lechfeld as intelligence assessor to determine if this target possessed material of value for potential exploitation. The report lists all aircraft-types and engines found at Lechfeld, and no Do335 is listed.

The Do335 in Merl Olmstead's photos was ferried to Neubiberg by Hans Padell, and his passenger is Sgt. Henry Hodler. I have several photos of them leaving Oberphaffenhoffen on this flight.

Hodler was born in Switzerland and emigrated to the USA at the age of 18. He became a professional chef and when war erupted, the US Army used his fluent langugage skills in both German and French as an interpreter. He was assigned to ATI with these skills, and his ATI team followed the Allied armies into Germany, and eventually to Oberphaffenhofen.

Hodler was placed in charge of the German factory workers refurbishing several Do335s for shipment to USA and UK. I have xerox copies of the pay records Hodler kept for the German factory workers. Because he was Swiss, a natural comradiere established between him and the Germans, including test pilot Hans Padell. That is why Padell offered him a ride in the twin-seat D0335 to assist as interpreter with the Americans.

Besides ferrying the Do335 trainer, Padell also ferried two Do335s to Cherbourg that were later loaded aboard the British aircraft-carrier HMS Reaper. I have colour slides of Padell exiting a Do335. Henry Hodler died in 1996 from the ravages of old age. The two-seat Do335 was later ferried to the UK by RCAF veteran Joe McCarthy as stated.

Norman Malayney

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Norman , Leendert ,
Thanks for all the Info !
Mike

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Mike,

Here is some information from my Copyright manuscript that I am preparing for publication on "ATI and Operation Lusty". It is an interview with the late Myron Parker who was in charge of ADS men assisting Dornier factory workers with refubishing the Do335s.

Parker: "After landing at Oberweisenfeld the Do335 was stored in a hangar. Padell made a second test-flight to Nuremberg-Roth airfield and returned.

"Several days later arrangements were made to provide a P-51 escort from a USAAF unit at Oberweisenfeld for a ferry flight to Cherbourg. The two Mustang pilots were rude to Padell and behaved as if he was still the enemy even though he was a civilian. Padell had our trust and ATI allowed him to ferry the aircraft to Oberweisenfeld.

"The P-51 pilots briefed him on the flight plan: They would take-off, circle the field, then he would take-off as they flew over and position himself between them for the ferry flight. I told Padell to ignore the escort pilots and to leave them 'in the dust'.

"The P-51s made their pass across the field and Padell took off, climbed up between them and continued his climb at high power until he was out of sight. He flew at his optimal cruise speed for the range required. En route a flight of US fighters approached, and fearful of the sitatuion, he applied throttles and left them behind.

"We later learned he was on the ground at Cherbourg 45 minutes before the P-51s flew over the field and then returned to Munich. A C-47 returned Padell to Oberphaffenhofen."

Norman Malayney

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Thanks Norman ,
Do you know if the film was taken during
the Ferry Flight or during Test Flights ?
Mike

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Wow, a fascinating thread. The 335 has always intrigued me.

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Dear Mike,

Let me check with one of Parker's family members.

Norman Malayney

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Thanks Norman !
Mike

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Dear Mike,

I spoke with the Parker's grandson. His grandfather is still living! Several years ago I sent Myron a package and it was returned with "Not here" written on it. I presumed he died. When I located his grandson, he said Myron was living with him. He is extremely hard of hearing and can barely speak. I shouted over the telephone if anyone filmed Padell's flight in the Do335. He eventually mumbled no. It was impossible to obtain any further information because of his hearing deficit and possibly the frailty of old age.

The runways at Oberphaffenhofen were damaged by allied bombing. Most of craters were filled in, but the Do335s could not take off with a full load of fuel because of the field conditions. Therefore, each aircraft was ferried with enough fuel to Oberweisenfeld, to prepare for the long ferry flight to Cherbourg.

The first ferry flight was not photographed because, as Parker said, he told Padell to leave the Mustangs "in the dust". I know nothing about the second ferry flight. I should have inquired at the time, if it also was escorted by Mustangs?

No doubt the Mustang pilots were angry with Padell leaving them behind and felt embarassed. They may have launched a protest resulting in Padell faithfully obeying orders on the second ferry flight? I do not know if any Mustangs were involved in escorting the second aircraft to Cherbourg--perhaps not. ATI had full trust in Padell; they realized the German workers took great pride in their workmanship and would never sabotage the Do335 aircraft. This is my impresssion when interviewing Parker.

Regarding the two-seat Do335. Myron and his ADS men never worked on this aircraft--only the two single-seat aircraft. I surmise that after Parker and his men left the project, the civil Dornier factory workers were proficient to fully-restore this aircraft to flyable condition. As mentioned above, they were extremely proud in their involvement with the original Do335 aircraft production.

A Luftwafe colonel by the name of Oberst Edgar Petersen, who spoke excellent English, worked with Parker and his men, plus the factory workers, to restore the two Do335s. Possibly, he may have continued in charge of restoring the two-seater after the ADS men left?

I have no knowledge of when the cine/movie film was taken. Sorry.

Several books on the D0335 have appeared. Unfortunately, my library will not be accessible until 22 June. I will post on this thread information to correct misleading photo captions. One of the books has a photo of Sgt. Henry Hodler, which the author incorrectly states is Hans Padell. And another has a photo of Parker and Oberst Peterson working on a Do335, information that is missing in the caption.

Norman Malayney

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Norman -
The Film was taken from almost directly behind the DO 335.
Can't see any markings or inside the Cockpit.
Many Thanks for your Info and Efforts !
Mike

Re: Looking for Pilot of Captured DO 335
 

Dear Mike,

I finally gained access to my library collection. In the book "Karl-Heinz Regnat, Dorneir Do335, an Illustrated History", published by Schiffer, on page 168, I obtained this photo from Ed Maxwell , an ATI engineering officers involved in Project Lusty. It shows the Do335 during the second test flight from Oberweisenfeld to Roth and then return to Oberweisenfeld.

On page 169 there is a picture showing two men standing in front of a Do335. The gentleman on the right is Sgt. Henry Hodler and not Hans Padell as stated in the caption.

I also have the orignal negatives for the photos on Page 171 top, 170 top and bottom, 175 bottom and 169 top, obtained from an ATI veteran. Also those listed below.

The book, "Dornier 335 Arrow by J. Richard Smith, Eddie J. Creek and Thomas H. Hitchcock". I obtained 43 negatives, size 4 x 5 and 2 1/4 x 2 1/4 from an ATI veteran. I made arrangments to eventually donated these to the National Air and Space Museum, Washington, DC.

I made two sets of 21 photos each--size 8 x 10-- showing the Do335 and personnel involved. I gave one set to Phil Butler to assist with his book War Prizes.

I then made two sets of Xerox copies from my set of 8 x 10s photos. One Xerox set was set to NASM, Washington, DC to illustrate the negative material that would eventually be donated to their organization. I sent the second Xerox set to a researcher in Germany.

It would seem the Xerox copies were photographed and samples eventually appeared in the Smith/Creek/Hitchcock book, appearing on pages 176 (engine change), page 76 top, and page 60 bottom? Note the grainy texture appearance of the photos.

Norman Malayney