Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Hello,

Does anybody know where exactly the Me 410 was found? Possible candidates could be:

1) Near Brunnthal at the Munich-Salzburg Autobahn or
2) Near Augsburg along the Munich-Augsburg Autobahn

But I have not been able to find a proof for neither of these two options.

The best lead I have is a photo of a Me 262 wreck. Another photo of the same wreck was part of a series from the same GI who also photographed the Me 410. Hence, the likelihood that they were close is high (although there is a possibility of course that he found the two aircraft at two different spots).

https://i.pinimg.com/564x/52/43/74/5...358492d433.jpg

https://www.asisbiz.com/il2/Me-410/M...ornisse-04.jpg

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Hi Roger,

Unfortunately, I can only offer a possible negative. In Norbert Loy's opus, Der Feldflugplatz Brunnthal, (2016), he identifies fifty-nine aircraft at the Brunnthal dump. Of those, five are Me 410's. However, none are identified as the B-2/U4 model with the conspicuous cannon.

best regards,

Jim

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Hi Jim,

Thank you. I own a copy of that book. I believe not all aircraft found near Brunnthal were brought to the scrapyard or not all are documented yet. For example, on page 224 there is a photo of a (most likely 8./NJG 6) Bf 110 G-4 next to a He 111. The He 111 ended up at the scrap yard, but the Bf 110 G-4 is - as far as I am aware - not (yet) documented at the scrap yard.

Best regards,
Roger

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

You can see the church in the photo Me 262, maybe according to him you could determine the place

https://collections.ushmm.org/search...%2C1943%2C1272

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

This Me 410 had W.Nr.710458. Unfortunately, the location of the find is uncertain

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Thank you for the link. That’s a new photo to me. The building looks more like a factory with a stack to me. However, I went through my original photos and found one of the same aircraft. The original caption states that it was found at Augsburg. I then went through the other photos from the link you provided and also checked the unit history. They indeed approached Munich from the west and must have used the Autobahn from Augsburg to Munich. They stayed at Munich (at least battery C). Hence, I assume the Me 410 was most likely also found along the Autobahn near Augsburg.

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

You are welcome. Is W.Nr. known? I only have one photo this Me 262 where it is partially visible, but I can't read it

https://i.imgur.com/rJPpcC4.jpg

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Hello Matolion,

Thank you for your latest photograph. To my eye it reads "11179x". In referencing O'Connell, Production Log, (2005), p. 139, I found a possible candidate:

111792 Me 262 A JV 44 aircraft found badly damaged on the Autobahn near Ulm at the end of the war by British [sic] forces. Possibly confused with W.Nr. 111752.

Ulm is about 30 km. west of Augsburg and the A8 autobahn runs past each on its way to Munich.

best regards,

Jim

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Thank you. It is a very likely candidate

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Thanks for all those indications, Mato Lion and Karoband;

The landscape features visible - the hilly wooded area - do point towards the stretch of Autobahn immediately east of Dornstadt, at the A8 exit for Ulm.

Cheers
Marc

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

30km west of Augsburg at Zusmarshausen was a Me-262 production site located in the forest directly at the Autobahn A8. Codename was Blechschmiede and here wings for Me-262 were produced and transferred to Leipheim on the highway. If I look at the picture the highway is upsloping as it is at Zusmarshausen while Holzkirchen and Leipheim is flat terrain. Please have a look to http://www.horgau.de/fileadmin/Datei...ideHorgau1.pdf
This is a KZ at the production site using the inmates for the slave work. The highway strip at Zusmarshausen was used as runway.

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Hello Joerg,

Thank you for the link and information. I was aware of the Blechschmiede site but was not looking so far west of Augsburg. I found the following photo of a section that looks very similar to the 1945 photo.

https://www.steinbacher-consult.com/...utobahn001.jpg

https://i.imgur.com/D9Cze6R.jpg

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Yes, i am also nearly sure, the destroyed 262 lies on the Autobahn between Burgau and Augsburg. Of course it is not next to Ulm or Dornstadt. I am living near Ulm and know the area well.
But, please, make no confusion!
Near Burgau, direction Zusmarshausen at the Autobahn was Waldwerk KUNO located. There were about 100 (?) Me 262 completely assembled.
BLECHSCHMIEDE was located some more kilometers eastwards, direction Augsburg. There were only wings for the 262 produced, also next to the Autobahn, near the village Horgau.
Best regards, Gerry.

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

I have done further research and believe that I have identified the exact spot. The leads I had:

1) I have an original, unpublished photo that shows that the Autobahn in the other direction than in the view above was straight with a bridge in the far distance.
2) The Me 262 was found in a shallow uphill turn as can be seen in the photo in post 1.
3) The prominent building in the photo in post 4 is another lead.
4) Two original photos from separate soldiers that I have in my collection have "Augsburg" as a caption. Hence, presumably the location was really close to Augsburg, i.e. within possibly 10 to 15 kilometers.
5) According to British intelligence from April 1945, an Autobahn strip between Augsburg and Lechhausen was used as a landing strip.

Using this information I found an Autobahn section near Lechhausen that fits: Straight on one end towards Augsburg and with a slight uphill turn on the other end. The bend is near the town Stätzling (see google maps link below, just where the icon (blue rectangle with a white 8) for the Autobahn 8 is). And indeed, Stätzling has a church that looks identical to the one in the photo in post no. 4 and also the orientation and location of the bell tower fits to the photo in no. 4.

I could not find a photo taken from the Autobahn at the exact spot to really confirm the location, but I believe I have identified the right spot.

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/pr...JeSdI828GflraU

https://www.google.com/maps/place/St....9781754?hl=de

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

I told you it is a church :) Diamonds (and church) Are Forever

https://i.imgur.com/hCOrPPK.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/Up9qPTO.pnghttps://i.imgur.com/zqmvQqB.png

P.S. "Sedí ako riť na šerbel" :)

Re: Me 410 B-2/U4 at Autobahn --> where exactly?
 

Yes,
that is it!!!