6./JG 300
 

Hy, in the 2.vol chronicle about the history of JG 300 a Lt. Anton Ducke was shot down by Thunderbolts on 05 January 1944. He successfully crash-landed his Bf 109 and returned to his unit on the same day. The book says he was the “St.Kap.” of 6 Staffel.
But in the excellent work by L.de Zeng’s there is no mention of him being so.
Also he write his with an “umlaut “: Dücke.
Does someone knows more about the correct spelling and that he was or was not the “St.Kap.”, and if he was, on which day he was appointed?
Kind regards and stay safe.
Dirk

Re: 6./JG 300
 

Hi Dirk

On 5 January 1944, Lt. Anton Ducke was a pilot of 3. Staffel/JG 300 (also I Gruppe) and was never appointed as "Staffelkapitän of 6./JG 300". In what book have you found such a big mistake? As you wrote, Ducke was unhurt.

He was Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 300 at the time of his death, in the night of 19/20 february 1944. (Bf 109 G-6 WNr 20278 Gelbe 4, crash on take-off for a combat mission shortly afer 02:40 west Jüberbog-Waldlager, reason unknown).

Best regards
Jean-Yves Lorant

Re: 6./JG 300
 

Hi Jean-Yves,

Sorry, but I made a typo-mistake. It is indeed 3./JG 300, you are absolutely correct. So his name was spelled without an umlaut. At his mishap in january he was already the St.Kap., do you know the date when he was appointed?
That’s something I can not find.
Kind regards,

Dirk

Re: 6./JG 300
 

Hi Dirk

Many thanks for your reply, it's all OK. Leutnant Anton Ducke became Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 300 shortly after Oblt. Gerhard Stamp took command of I./JG 300 on November 9, 1943 at Bonn-Hangelar. I don't know the exact date. I take this opportunity to remind you that this function of Staffelkapitän was of little signifiance for night fighter missions, because the "Wilde Sau" pilots of the I./JG 300 hunted on sight and individually.
Regarding the daylight combat of January 5, 1944 - as I mentioned in volume 1 of my chronicle of JG 300 at Eagle Editions (not promotional reference, book out of print) - the combat report of 56th Fighter Group presents several similarities with accounts from the German side. The 56th FG, carrying out B-17s escort duties, had nearly 50 Thunderbolts in the air, but the attacks against german fighters were the result of just a few flights. The flight that intercepted 3./JG 300 in the region of Düren was flying at an altitude of between 7,500 and 9,000 m and estimated the Germans to be at 6,000 m. Curiously, only one of the two aircraft whose destruction the 56th FG claimed over this sector was identified as being a Bf 109.

Best Regards
Jean-Yves Lorant