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-   -   Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45 (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=52299)

Monaco 18th October 2018 23:46

Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Good evening,
Does anyone know something of the circumstances of the shooting down of the last Commander of NJG.5. I know only that the Stab was based at Lübeck-Blankensee about that time and Schoenert‘ s Ju.88 was downed near the River Elbe reportedly by a Mosquito though I found no corresponding claim.
Thanks in advance
Michael

RodM 19th October 2018 01:29

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Hi Michael,

unfortunately, the last entry in Schoenert's Flugbuch is dated 7 March 1945. There are no recorded Mosquito air combat claims on 26-27 or 27-28 April 1945.

I presume Schoenert flew against the Soviets. I have Flugbücher evidence of NJG5 Nachtschlacht missions against the Soviets on 23-24, 24-25, and 25-26 April and a Nachtjagd mission against the Soviets on 26-27 April. Also, there are no OKL Reich Morgenmeldungen recording these missions. I haven't cited the Ost Morgenmeldungen.

Cheers

Rod

Monaco 19th October 2018 13:46

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Thank you Rod,
I think the missions were flown to the "Großraum Berlin" area. During the night 24-25 April Schoenert claimed 4 Il-4 bombers shot down S of Berlin, at that late stage of the war surely "ohne Anerkennung" (without confirmation). Together with the claims of Francsi and Rapp these were the last known of the Nachtjagd against the VVS (and this type of aircraft). So I think the missions were combined ground-attack and air combat depending on opportunity. Do you know the times during which the missions were flown?

With regards

Michael

RodM 19th October 2018 16:45

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Hi Michael,

from a entries in a few NJG5 Flugbücher:

23-24 April:

I./5 - 00.51h Redlin / 02.32h Redlin (Nachtschlachteinsatz)
II./5 - 23.20h Lübeck-Blankensee / 02.00h Lübeck-Blankensee (Nachtschlachteinsatz)
III./5 - 02.00h Lübeck-Blankensee / 04.20h Lübeck-Blankensee (Nachtschlachteinsatz)

24-25 April:

I./5 - 00.14h Redlin / 01.51h Redlin (Nachtschlachteinsatz)
II./5 - 01.56h Lübeck-Blankensee / 04.32h Lübeck-Blankensee (Nachtschlachteinsatz)

25-26 April:

II./5 - 23.53h Lübeck-Blankensee / 02.31h Lübeck-Blankensee (Nachtschlachteinsatz)

26-27 April:

I./5 - 23.18h Redlin / 01.26h Redlin (Nachtjagdeinsatz)

Firstly, I should clarify that the NJG5 Nachtjagd Gruppen no longer existed at this stage, since they were reduced to a single Staffel each on 29 March. Thus, I./NJG5 was really 1./NJG5, II./NJG5 was 4./NJG5, III./NJG5 was 7./NJG5.

Secondly, the Kriegschronik of III./NJG5 (BArch RL 10/604) records that 7./NJG5 flew a few sorties in the Berlin area with the last reserves of fuel on 23, 24 and 26 April ["Einzelne Maschinen starten nochmals am 23., 24. und 26. mit den letzten Triebstoffverräten zum Schlachteinsatz und zur Verpflegung Berlin."].

As previously mentioned, the OKL Ost Morgenmeldungen (BArch RL 2 II/393) would provide a much better overview of nightly sorties, claims, and losses (at least up to the point when OKL evacuated Zossen), but the files are undergoing conservation at the moment and are unavailable.

Cheers

Rod

Monaco 19th October 2018 21:15

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Dear Rod,
thanks for the detailed answer - well appreciated. Why I´m asking for the flight times - though it´s maybe a shot in the dark - but perhaps the Mossie mentioned wasn´t quite that. According to Shores-Thomas Sq.130 pilots catched a single Ju.188 on 27 April/08.20 15m E Ludwigslust and damaged it, but return fire hit the attacking Spit of WtOff A.D. Miller, that crashed nearby (KIA). Ludwigslust would be en the route back from Berlin to Blankensee and the Elbe is nearby. I´m wondering if someone has the ORB entry for 130 Sq. for this date or if the identity of the Ju.188 is already established.

Cheers

michael

RodM 20th October 2018 01:31

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Hi Michael,

from the 130 Squadron ORB (TNA AIR 27/938):

Form 540:

"27 [April 1945] At 07.20, 4 more aircraft took off on a similar mission to Parchim and Wismar. At 08.20 whilst the section was damaging 3 MET, a JU188 was sighted and attacked by W/O Miller. Unfortunately, the rear gunner fired on W/O Miller when making the attack, and our pilot was seen to crash and blow up. We are compelled to assume that W/O. Miller has been killed. The JU.188 was damaged".

There may be a combat report available in TNA AIR 50/52 - under the name of Sgt. Seymour on 27 April 1945.

The 2nd Tactical Air Force tabular report, "Enemy Aircraft Losses inflicted by 2nd T.A.F." lists a JU.88 damaged in air combat on 27 April, but does not record the location.

W/O Alister Miller RAAF was discovered buried in a single grave in the cemetery at Siggelkow, 11 kilometres south-east of Parchim airfield (Map ref rT799402). While, I presume you already have the circumstantial report and MRES investigation report relating to his death, here are extracts:

From the 130 Sqn circumstantial report:

"W/O Miller took off at 07.18 hours with three others, to make an armed recce of the Parchim - Wismar area. At 18.20 [sic] hours, whilst attacking transport at Map. Ref. T.1834 [roughly 32 kilometres ENE of Lugwigslust], the Section Leader (F/O Trevorrow) sighted a JU 188, flying at zero feet. The section immediately gave chase and attacked the enemy aircraft from astern. W/O Miller on making his attack, broke off to starboard exposing the under-surface of his aircraft to the fire of the top gunner of the JU,188, who obtained strikes on the Spitfire. W/O Miller's aircraft was seen to skid into the ground and exploded. Height of the combat at the time was 20 to 50 feet. The pilot did not bale out, and he has been report 'Missing Believed Killed'".

From the MRES Investigation Report:

"The Aircraft. Herr Horn the Burgermeister of Siggelkow relates that the A/C crashed at between 0600 and 0700 hours sometime in April, 1945. His nearest guess is the 25th, but he could not be quite sure. He saw the aircraft being attacked by a German fighter [sic] and burst into flames, hit the ground turn somersault and come to rest near the first house to the East of the Village. The Pilot. The Pilot was thrown clear and found about 20 yards from the burnt-out wreckage. For some reason he was thought to be a Canadian [German civilians often assumed any airmen with nationality shoulder flashes were Canadian, when they came from all over the Commonwealth] and was buried under a cross reading "Here rests a Canadian Pilot".


The sighting of the "JU.188" occurred 51 kilometres west of Parchim airfield and it presumably flew toward to airfield and attempted to land there once intercepted. The aircraft was not necessarily flying an operational mission when intercepted - it could have been on a morning transfer flight between airfields.

If I recall correctly, Rudolf Schoenert stated after the war that he flew a night mission in a Ju88 equipped with experimental FuG.220 AI aerials mounted in the fuselage. The Ju88 suffered an electrical failure before it was shot down in the wider Berlin area.

Regards

Rod


Cheers

Rod

RodM 20th October 2018 02:45

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Hi Michael,

in looking through some Luftwaffe Meldungen contained in the War Diary of the Seekriegsleitung der Kriegsmarine (Maritime Operations Staff of the German Navy)


Night 26-27 April 1945:

"Eigener Einsatz: 24 Nachtschlachtflugzeuge Störung des Nachschubverkehre. 18 Kfz. vernichtet, 3 eigene Flugzeuge vermisst".

Cheers

Rod

Monaco 20th October 2018 10:09

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Wow, I´m impressed about the various sources you count on for this difficult year 1945, Rod. Thanks once again. The picture gets clearer now, but I think the time of Schoenert´s shoot down and the mentioning, that the radar wasn´t working rules out the Spitfire combat. I will check the USAAF nightfighter claims though I think this was not their area of operations.

Cheers

Michael

Theo Boiten 20th October 2018 11:51

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Hi all,

Thanks for the unfolding of this interesting thread. I have two questions; what is the primary source of the date when Schoenert was shot down in late April 1945? Could this have been 23-24 April 45? And what is the source for the date of Schoenert's four Il-4 claims -could this also have been 23-24.4.45?

Cheers, Theo

Theo Boiten 20th October 2018 17:53

Re: Rudolf Schoenert 27.4.45
 
Dear all,

I just got word that Schoenert was actually shot down on the 27th of April, in an interview that Schoenert had with Alfred Price in the 1960s is stated that Schoenert flew a Ju88 G-6 equipped with backwards warning apparatus SN-2R and Naxos ZR for the first time on the night of 27 April 1945, but suffered total failure of the sets due to a short circuit and was promptly shot down by a Mosquito.

Cheers, Theo


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