Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hi All, I wondered if anyone had seen this gun camera image before. The tactical number on the fuselage of this light colored 109 looks like the "13" I have seen on profiles of Oesau's Gustav. The aircraft appears to be relatively low and levelling out, as if preparing to land - which jives with the reports that he was fatally hit attempting to make an emergency landing...perhaps there is the original footage out there in the hands of one of you?

The image appears in the pages of a USAAF XIX Tactical Command Document written in Sept 1944, with no caption.

Peep it here: http://www.siteupdates.com/drt/images/Oesau109G.jpg

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hi,

I believe I read that Steve Shefflin(sp) had written an article based upon this photo to support that the aircraft was in fact Oesau's.

Don

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Thanks Don,
...so I'm not just seeing things, then.
Oesau or not, I hope others who have not seen it find the image of interest. I had not seen this pic on the web before after many years of browsing around.
Cheers,
Dan

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hey all, is there anyone out there that has the equipment to enhance this photo, perhaps the Rudder area, or better yet the complete photo?
I find this very interesting. Don, what, if any publication, was Shefflin's article published in?
It would be nice to see if this could be solved here...
Kevin

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

I actually enlarged it and optimized it in Photoshop, and nothing I did disproved the appearance of this a/c being "green 13". The canopy appears to be the framed type. The strikes on the nose obscure the cowling so I cannot see the "buele" but the tail wheel is the smaller length and non-retractable so I'm thinking a G-6/AS is a good bet as I do not see gunpods. Can anyone else identify the model at least?
That might be a start.

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hello Don,

This pic was published in french mag "Aero-Journal", n°3, april 1997. It is written that plane was believed to be all paint RLM 76, as some planes from JG1 but that "13" color was hard to identify. But it is written too that Oesau's plane was touched on the left side by P38 Lightning and the picture was taken from the right side.

I hope this could help.
Stephane Muret

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

The aircraft was Oesau's Bf 109G-6/AS, WNr 20601, green 13.

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Don,

Thanks for posting the image. I haven't seen it before. It appears that the canopy has already been ejected.

Stephen

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Good morning all,

I know I am getting old, but I am certain that I never wrote any such article. Years ago I did a rendering of Oesau's 109 being shot down for Steve Blake's superb "Fighter Pilots in Aerial Combat" publication.

Best regards,

Steve Sheflin

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hi Steve, Thanks for your comment on this interesting image. I had been trying to find "your" article since Don's post about it! By the way, do you recall who the pilot may have been that claimed Oesau? I recall, and it has been re-iterated here, that a Lightning Pilot was the victor but cannot remember the group or the individual - I do not have the publication you mention.
Thanks, Dan

Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hello Dan

It is my understanding that it was 1st Lieutenant James “Pappy” Doyle of the 428th Fighter Squadron, 474th Fighter Group, 9th USAAF who may have shot down and killed Oesau. Many thanks for posting this interesting image. One cannot help but think of what Oesau must have been experiencing at the time this photograph was taken... May God have mercy on him and all who fell in World War II.

Leo

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

This one?

"Papy" Doyle said he opened fire from very long range and this photograph was taken almost at point-blank range.

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hi CJ, Yeah, we're not really sure if this is Oesaus aircraft actually, just trying to find out more info about this interesting photo.
The image you attached however has been cropped from the original 'still' making it appear to be very close. The numeral "13 also seems to have been touched up or is for some reason a lot clearer than the original that I posted...
Please refer to the image at the start of this thread:
http://www.siteupdates.com/drt/images/Oesau109G.jpg
I am no expert on judging range but the distance seems to be at least 200 to 300 feet from the attacking aircraft, which is perhaps a long way out to some USAAF pilots! I have read that a lot of them preferred to get in as close as 50 feet. Perhaps someone with experience could estimate an approximate range here? (feet or meters)
Thanks for your input however,
Dan

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

You're welcome, I am glad it has generated some interest. Looking at it again I think you are right about the canopy. I wonder if in Pappy Doyles combat report it mentions that Oesau ejected the canopy...that would make things even more interesting.
Thanks for your input,
Dan Taylor

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Hi John, I'm starting to lean in this direction too based on the circumstantial bits of the puzzle...do you have or know of any further evidence to support your view? I'm hoping that this image is associated with a surviving copy of Pappy Doyles actual gun camera film, which would clinch it - or perhaps a post war statement from Doyle giving it the nod. (It's probably too much to ask that this particular footage actually survived from the 40's, but I guess there seems to be quite a bit of it that did.)
Thanks for your input regardless,
Dan Taylor

Re: Oesau's 109 in this gun camera image?
 

Well, if John's info on the a/c is correct, and I have no reason to believe it's not, the a/c itself would have an interesting story to tell. According to Prien/Rodeike, it was built at WNF between Jun and Aug 1943 -- series 20 000 to 20 800. It must have spent a full tour somewhere before being brought into Erla-Antwerp, RW E (what it is), or B&V in early 1944 to be converted to the DB 605AS engine. Then it would have been given to Walter Oesau for the last months/weeks of his life.

Does anyone know more about the travels of this a/c?