Me262A-1a B3+A? W.Nr 111891 KG(j)54
 

Hi all,

I’ve been trying to hunt down additional photos of B3+A? from KG(j)54. I have one shot of it in May/June 45 where it is completely dismembered. The nose is gone, and the tail is severed just after the white A in the squadron code. The empennage is several feet away from the fuselage, but the werknummer is clearly visible. One wing is visible in the photo as well, but both engines are gone. I’m trying to figure out what that last letter would be.

Thanks!

Jon

Re: Me262A-1a B3+A? W.Nr 111891 KG(j)54
 

Hi Jon,

I have several photos of this machine, but not the one you describe.

Be that as it may, Radtke (1990), notes that II./KG(J) 54 was stationed at Kitzingen from 13 January to 27 March 1945 where it was being equipped with, and crews being trained on, the Me 262. On 22 March 1945 Kitzingen was attacked by USAAF B-24s that resulted in three Me 262s 70% damaged, one at 50%, and four at 7%, as well as a number of other aircraft types damaged or destroyed. Giebelstadt was also attacked at the same time on that day and suffered similar losses.

II. Gruppe suffered considerable losses in equipment and personnel from which it never really recovered. Unfortunately, no Werknummern are given in Radtke’s aircraft loss listing (Appendix 9) since the information was not recorded in the Luftwaffe document reproduced in his book (p. 237).

Thus, given that the letter “A” was coloured white, it is most probable that WNr.111891 was coded “B3+we.AM” of 4./II./KG(J) 54.

Cheers,

David


Reference:

Radtke, S., 1990
Kampfgeschwader 54 – von der Ju 52 zur Me 262: Ein Chronik nach Kriegstagbüchern, Dukumenten und Berichten 1935-1945.
Schild Verlag, München, 383 p.

Re: Me262A-1a B3+A? W.Nr 111891 KG(j)54
 

Hi Jon,

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/album....&pictureid=596

Is this the picture?

You will note that David was very careful to say "most probable". As WNr. 110943 "B3+HL" of 3./I./KG(J) 54 was also found at Kitzingen, there is an outside chance that this is "B3+we.AH" of 1./I./KG(J) 54. But in my opinion, David is right. You can see the black edge of the "M" in the photo is the same size as the "A" (the last letter of KG 51 codes is as small as the first two).

best regards,

Jim

Re: Me262A-1a B3+A? W.Nr 111891 KG(j)54
 

Jim,

That’s the airplane, but my shot is from a different angle and in better lighting. I’ll post it soon. Been traveling across the US over the past couple days.

BREAK

Dave, thanks very much! Shooting you back an email shortly. Establishing that this was at Kitzingen has been an important piece of the puzzle. Les Thompson’s photos are great, but they range from France to Iwo Jima, so getting them in order has been a challenge. I’m going to get back to scanning them once I’m back home.

Jon

Re: Me262A-1a B3+A? W.Nr 111891 KG(j)54
 

Here we go.