Me 262 with Karoband?
 

A very small and poor-quality image from a G.I. album at the bottom of this page, with a further head-on view of (I think) the same machine on the following page.

As for location ... the US unit was the 225th AAA Searchlight Battalion which ended the war at Unterbiberg, right next door to Neubiberg-bei-München.

And an Fw 190, Bf 109, Do 335 and a scrapyard here.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Nick, I can confirm that both Bf 109 G-10 depicted were former II./JG 52 machines flown to Neubiberg in the morning of 8 May 1945. It is thus highly probable that your Karoband ME 262 was present at one of the München airfields (Riem? Schleissheim?).

Cheers
Marc

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

It's hard to tell from that photo but it appears to be a 262 from KG(j) 6.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi,

Not the same hangar in the background?

I think yes, with the same horizontal (concrete?) beam just above canopy/nose (correction: at the right of "my" photo; above canopy/nose on link's photo) open to the wild (destroyed) at the back.

Hence, place is ??...

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

I was thinking of the same aircraft, which was at a location starting with an H.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Gents,

I came across these two photos many years ago though was not successful in tracking them down and getting better copies.

I do however have several others and can confirm - via the photos and correspondence from a POW of WK Kdtr. Stalag VII A who took photos of it) - that the aircraft was found at a small airfield on the south bank of the Isar River and across the city of Moosburg.

Based on its camouflage and national markings, it is a machine from the 1105xx werknummerseries. The blue and white karoband (slightly modified with a light overspray of green or brown), painted-out wappen on the nose, and yellow 3 on the fuselage, confirm a machine from 3./KG(J) 54. I believe that it is one of the 15-20 aircraft flown out of the Prague region on May 8, 1945 by an unknown pilot.

Cheers,

David

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Thanks David.

Didn't find this small airfield on Google Maps.
Funny to hear that a POW took photos.
And frustrating to know that you have other different pictures without seing them !!! :) :)

But it's OK anyway.

Regards, Franck.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi Franck,

Yes, it surprised me too. The fellow was shot down in early 1945 and liberated from WK Kdtr. Stalag VII in early May. He and a colleague liberated a camera and while on one of their walkabouts found this small airstrip and single hanger, outside of which was this machine. I suspect given its small size the airstrip has long since been built-over.

BTW, I do plan on writing about this machine someday.

Cheers,

David

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Are we discussing Moosburg, Germany or Moosburg, Austria? The German one isn't all that far (about 18 km/11 miles) from the present day Munich International Airport, which is by somewhere beginning with H — Hallbergmoos.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi Nick,

I am referring to Moosburg, Germany on the Isar River as noted previously. Moosburg, Austria is not on any significant body of water that I could determine.

The photo Franck posted above was claimed long ago to have been photographed at Herzogenaurach, Germany; this is what Jim listed on the back of the photo he copied long ago, hence the location confusion. For what it's worth, Jim never believed this but copied what the veteran told him.

Cheers,

David

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi Gents,

Moosburg-an-der-Isar is reputed to have been the Stalag VII place; no doubts about that.

About the field: MIP yes but there is another strip closer to Moosburg, southern area still existing (sorry don't have access to Google now ...)

As for the POW film ... Stupid I'm!!!! Talking about the Me 262 I forgot the main important thing, Worth to know even if nothing to do with a "liberated camera":

A camera has been build in a Stalag during the WWII. POWs joined pièces of film and there were able to make a long film about their life condition in the camp.
This film has been released on a French TV show last November. Sharp and clear!!

So, Yes No problemo

Regards, Franck.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Sorry, I'm wrong here about Erding .....

BUUUUUUUT ....

There is a strip at Bruckbergerau: Flugplatz Landshut-Ellermühle.

So I Wonder if POW's souvenir was that good.
After all, The Me 262 is pictured in front of a quite big hangar and there is a concrete parking (at least) ...

Regards, Franck.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi Franck,

I checked my files and as a follow-up to my previous post:

1. The POW was with the 96th BG and was shot down on a mission to Augsburg in April 1944.
2. He and his fellow POW's in Stalag VII were liberated by Patton's Army in late April 1945..
3. While waiting for transportation out of Germany they took short walks in the surrounding countryside.
4. They encountered a small airfield and single hanger with the Me 262 in front of it where they took photos of each other in the machine.

So, this was a very small airfield / air strip with a single hanger and one aircraft in front of the latter, and it was within a short walking distance fro the POW camp located just outside Moosburg.

Cheers,

David

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

David,

But I do believe what you got is the truth, told by an ex POW.
I do believe, too, that the plane was in Moosburg area.
Just: How big was that "Moosburg area"? 1km, 5km, 10km???

There is a huge possibility that that strip have been erased for good but there is a small possibilty that it wasn't. It dépends how far it was from the Stalag VII. By the way, where was situated the Stalag "in Moosburg".

Again, "short walks" means
1/ more than one
2/ One hour walk?? Already 7 kms - at least for me ...
Tending in count that 5 minutes walk is not a walk, indeed.

Last, and by the way, there is what seems to be a strip remain in the crops, just north-eastern part of Langenpraising, southern Moos, by the E53. How much far 1,5km .... Ideal for a short walk! :)

Cheers, Franck.

Just a matter for talks, not to say "yeah it was there!"

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi,
Just a consideration, the Me262 could not and did not operate from "small strips". The minimum runway length specified by the Luftwaffe was 2.000 m. It could certainly land on a shorter runway, but it would be a challenge to operate from it on a regular basis.
bregds
SES

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi SES,

Yes, ... and we are talking about one which did land only coming from Prague area.
No confusion at all in our posts.

Regards, Franck.

Re: Me 262 with Karoband?
 

Hi
In this part of Bavaria was a lot of Me262 " business" going on, like in Erding, Landau-Ganacker, Straubing etc.
A small and interesting airfield is situated at nearby Landshut, just South of the Isar, close to Auloh. On Google maps a part of the runway and some concrete surface (new?) can still be recognized. From Landshut-Ergolding, another airfield close by, former POW's of Moosburg had been flown out to Belgium and France.

Maybe you know the video on Youtube:

*https://youtu.be/qXOwUBik0bM

Interesting the Me262 production or storage line in Mitterlern, just South of Moosburg, close to Erding. Funny the farmer with child and dog who examines - maybe on his ground - the Me262 parts.
The fuselages seem not to be guarded too strongly....