The last kill of WW2?
 

Can anyone tell me if Gerard Thyben was the last pilot to shoot down an Allied plane in may 45? I think a Pe2.

Thanks,

Gary

Re: the last kill of ww2 ???...
 

I think that last plane to be shoot is one Nakajima Hayabusa, down at night 28. August 1945 by Black Widow.

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Hello Gary:

I assume you are discussing the last Allied aircraft shot down in Europe.

John Weal's Focke Wulf Fw 190 Aces of the Russian Front describes Gerhard Thyben, Staffelkapitan of 7/JG 54 shooting down a Red Banner Baltic Fleet Pe2 when flying from Courland to Kiel on the morning of 8 May 1945 (all while having his chief mechanic in his radio compartment!). The time is not specified more precisely in this account.

However, IIRC, Hartmann flew a sortie and shot down a Soviet fighter on 8 May. Determining the 'last' kill would depend on pinning down the times of the two victories mentioned above (and others that may come to light). You may also have the issue of dealing with victories in different time zones.

Cheers

Don

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

hi,to both big thanks,i gary,

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

there are so many question mark on Hartmann's May 8 kills that I would dismiss this claim: Hartmann claimed shot down the Yak above a a city when there was still heavy fighting going on, Russians actually had already occupied that city about a week, so there was no ground battle at that time. Hartmann claims he caused a fight between Americans and Soviet fighter in that mission, no such fight existed in either Soviet or US record, and finally no fighter loss could be found in Soviet record in that place and that time

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

A hot candidate for Luftwaffe´s last kill is Oblt. Fritz Stehle, Staffelkapitän of 2./JG 7 who claimed a Jak-9 late in the late afternoon on 8 May 1945 over northwestern Bohemia while retreating with his Me 262 from Žatec to Fassberg. It seems that he actually shot down an Airacobra, whose pilot, mladshiy leytenant Sergey G. Stepanov of 129 GIAP (22 GIAD) crashed to his death near the village of Kliny. Parts of Stepanov´s Cobra were later recovered - you can see some fragments from his aircraft as well his grave on:

http://www.plarchiv.eu/nalezy/nalez14.htm

If the question was meant to be about the last WW2 claim in Europe, let me add that some USAAF (and probably also VVS) claims were made even later...

Hope this helps a little,

Ota

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Gentlemen, it looks like we are talking about the last kill of WW2 in Europe, remember WW2 did not end until Japanese surrendered in September 1945, between May and September, many more aircrafts were shot down.

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Certainly, but I'm sure we want to find the last of Jagdwaffe, in Europe.
Hartmann claimed his Yak-9 also in the morning. Kacha gives time degree: 8.30-9.20.

Regards

Nef

The last kill of WW2?
 

Hello all

Nice thread with much interesting information. I thought that perhaps some of you would find the following artwork by Jerry Boucher illustrative :D It depicts the victory by Oberleutnant Fritz Stehle mentioned by Ota. www.hsgalleries.com/gallery04/me262jb_1.htm

Horrido!

Leo

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

This thread could be connect to the one wondering why so much kills for the german aces, they hv got even the last one

remi

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Before Walter Schuck took off on 8th of May 1945 in a Me 108 at about 6.00 pm in Saaz (Zatec) heading for Fassberg, he saw the last of the few Me 262 from JG 7 go out at around 5.00 pm - among them Fritz Stehle. He met him again in the camp of Fassberg and also later in the fiftees, but Stehle did not claim a shoot down or mention any contact with opponents for that day to Walter.

Cheers, Horst

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Hi all!

Are there any details of that victory? Any combat report?

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Last RAAF Flying loss

Cecil Roy Morgan Ricketts

Rank Warrant Officer

Service Number 429384

Unit 2 Sqn

Service RAAF

Conflict 1939-1945

Date of Death 15 September 1945

Place of Death Borneo

Cause of Death Flying Battle

Source AWM148 Roll of Honour cards, 1939-1945 War, Air Force

Kind regards
Ross

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

One story I heard of the last air-to-air kill in Europe (at least for the USAAF) was an incident where a Piper Cub and a Fieseler Storch met eachother. The pilots fired at eachother with their handguns and the Cub pilot was victorious, apparently capturing the crew as well.

Just found this after a quick Google: http://www.historicaviation.com/historicaviation/product_info.po;jsessionid=x4PqWpK7Rc0yiNtdA35yPv_ Q(CgqOmhPi)?ID=2883

And from the NASM website: In another remarkable encounter, an L-4 entered into a dogfight with a Fiesler Storch (the German equivalent of the L-4) with each of the two-man crews shooting at each other with their side-arms. Lt. Duane Francis, pilot of the L-4, succeeded in shooting down the Storch, and even captured the crew.

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Date?

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Not sure, that's the problem :)
I once read it was on the morning of 8 May '45, but somewhere else it said it was late April, which wouldn't make any sense.

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

As the fightings around Prague lasted a few more days after VE-Day, including Vlassov's army, I wonder if extra "kills" did not go off the records at that time.

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

Very doubtful to believe, that a Luftwaffe Do 217 still was "operating" on the 9th of May 45 in the region of Prague...

Re: The last kill of WW2?
 

I have few details about this. Only other is that Do 217 attempted escape to Americans form some field airport. It is possible, because first Russian tanks arrived to Prague on 9 May.