German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Frka, Novak & Pogacic"La Force Aerienne Croate 1941 - 1945", p. 302:
(the original is French, the clumsy translation mine), for 3 April 1945:
"Having escaped from a German prison at Tulln, near Vienna, 4 German aviators and 4 American POW aviators reached the airfield at Langenlebarn, where they succeeded in stealing a Ju52/3m ambulance, and took off towards the south. A gasoline mishap forced them to make a crashlanding near the village of Nin, close to Zadar, where they were captured by partisans."
Does anyone on the board know more about this? What became of the 8 aviators?
TIA, Richard

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

The Germans were taken into captivity and Partisans promised to the American airmen that they will treat them well. If they actually did so, who knows... The Americans were quickly evacuated to Italy. A friend of mine mentioned recently that he found their escape statement. If you wish I can get you in touch with him. The aircraft was eventually dismantled and repaired and was in use by Yugoslav AF after the war.

Cheers,
Boris

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Well yes, that would be interesting. Quite a story, isn't it?
Richard

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Yes, it is interesting story. In my opinion, one of the top 10 escape stories from Yugoslavia. And more than 2,500 allied airmen evaded from Yugoslavia, so it was very tough competition.

One of the aviators wrote a book about it:
Talmadge Callison, "Hit the silk"
Unfortunately, it is old and I could not find it on Amazon, etc.
It seems circulation was small.

In Escape statement is generally what Boris already wrote. After capture in Hungary, Americans were transferred to Tulln, Luftwaffe base (not regular prison). They were approached by German Luftwaffe officers who were in custody due to overstay from leave, and frightened of soviet advance. Germans organized escape and transport to airfield. Allied airmen were supposed to be used as their pass when they reach Italy.

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

This story can be read on this webpage(unfortunately only in German):

http://www.gotech.at/lale2/langenlebarn_2.html

under this caption:
"Die Flucht amerikanischer und deutscher Piloten vom Fliegerhorst"
Scoll down to the 2nd half of the page

Regards

RolandF

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Nice text, RolandF. It gives some more details than Escape statement (and it is much more readable, too).

Names of two German airmen were given in Escape statement as:
- Friedel Thybusek (Fredl in German text)
- Bernd Kersting (Bernhard Kersting in text)
(probable spelling errors in both sources).
It seems that German text is based on Callison's book.

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Hello Boris,

"The aircraft was eventually dismantled and repaired and was in use by Yugoslav AF after the war."

Is there some lists of the german booty-planes used by Youg.AF after the war ??

Rémi

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

What's most interesting is the mention of the captured P-38 Lightning that was presented to Luftkriegschule 7.

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Ogfr Bernhard Kersting, * 2.4.1920 at Münster/Westfalen is reported as MIA in the Deutsches Rotes Kreuz Vermisstenbildliste Band LH, Page 257. Last info from him was in January 1945 and he belonged to IV/JG 53.
Maybe the Partisans didn't kept the promise to treat the POWs well.

Matti

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

There is info on Germans in Roland's link:
If I understood well through Google - Kersting and Friedel returned home after imprisonment, while other two were shot during attempted escape.
Considering they could be shot as spies on spot, one can say they were treated well.

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

My German is not too hot but if I read the article in RolandF's post correctly it says the four Germans were sent to a Yugoslav labour camp . The 2nd pilot Christian ? and the fourth unnamed man were shot escaping from the Labour camp, Fredl the pilot was injured at the camp sent home but his neighbours ignored him as a traitor, while Bernhard Kersting ( son of a prominent industrialist) was released after 5 years at the camp.
Any confirmation/ corrections appreciated

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Hi Remi,

I'm not aware of a systematized list but I think it could be reconstructed with high degree accuracy when it comes to aircraft types. However, exact W.Nr.'s are different story. Are you interested in something in particular?

Cheers,
Boris

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

This Ju52 particulary could be a good start

Rémi

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

This Ju 52 was flown to nearby Prkos airfield near Zadar by capt. Zlatko Dimčović (it barely took-off, as the field was very short) and from there to Zemun, where it became part of Transportna grupa (Transport Group). It carried number 4 on the nose and after the establishment of Yugoslav AF register, received the serial number 7202. Unfortunately its W.Nr. is unknown, as is of other three Ju 52's in use by the YAF post-war.

Cheers,
Boris

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Hi Boris

Very interesting information regarding post war Ju 52/3m in Yugoslavia.

If I understand you right the four ex Luftwaffe Ju 52 would then have been 7201 to 7204?

What about the at least other four 7205-7208 (the last one preserved)? I know of four AAC.1 sold or transferred to Yugoslavia from 1945 and on.
They were c/n 77, 78, 222 and 316
Since all of them are said to have been for JAT, I wonder if any (or all) ended up with JRV and fitted into the said slot of 7205-7208?
AAC.1 c/n 222 is of course reported as 7208 which is preserved in Belgrade, but is it?
Finally, did JRV operate only eight Ju 52/AAC.1 or were there more?

Cheers
Stig

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

The Keywords here are "April 1945" and "new Vienna", the war was near the end and the Russians were coming, it would not be a bad idea for German aviators to trying to go home and even better, brought some American POWs with them as safeguard.
Actually I knew as a fact, from end of 1944, more and more German soldiers deserted, they just wanted to wait out the war, in the lower countries some of these German deserters became armed bandits to sustain themselves, some of them even went over to the resistance

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Hi Stig,

there were four ex-Luftwaffe Ju 52's in JRV. The one mentioned above, another which landed by mistake in Nikšić, one which force-landed near Hercegovac village, and the fourth found at Cerklje with the code RP+AU. French machines were purchased after the war. Some of these were ceeded to JAT, but which ones i don't know. Total number is eight.

Cheers,
Boris

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

There was almost another similar case, in Berane, Montenegro, on May 1944.
Plane landed on airfield, and partisans didn't shoot at it because they want to capture it after landing. One downed American airman came close to plane (thought it was plane that will rescue him to Bari), crew opened door, asked American where they were, and after they got answer quickly flew away.

Re: German and US POW aviators defect/escape together?
 

Thanks Boris

I will check the Yugoslav civil register for further clues.

Cheers
Stig