Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

Hi,
Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL (2./JG 26), shot down 18.7.1941 southeast of Lille bomber Short Stirling.
Josef Priller wrote in his book that this was the first shot down of a four-engine bomber. For this shot down, Fw.Jäckel allegedly received a reward of 500 Reichsmarks! Was this really the first shot down of a four-engine aircraft by a Luftwaffe pilot?
Please does anyone have more information on this event?
Thank you very much for your answers,
best regards Tony

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

Bit of confusion here. Caldwell and Foreman say the Stirling was from 15 Sqn attacking Lille, the claim being SE of Lille but Chorley & the F540 say this aircraft was one of 5 attacking Wesel (no mention of an escort) but all turned back and this one came down in the North Sea. No take off times are listed and it was the first four-engined aircraft to have been claimed shot down by JG 2 and JG 26; night fighters had already claimed Stirlings. If indeed this aircraft, it was dreadfully off track and those of its crew who were washed ashore are buried in Holland. Certainly didn't crash several miles off Deal and no mention of it having an escort of four Spitfires!

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

Chris, thank you very much for the quick reply.
Was money a frequent reward at the Luftwaffe?

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

I think Foreman and Caldwell are looking at the following day, the 19th, when three Stirlings went on Circus C-51 to Lille and N6018 was lost near Lille. There were 17 squadrons of fighters with them

On the previous day, the 18th, five Stirlings were sent out independently to five separate targets in NW Germany and the occupied territories but turned back when the cloud evaporated over the North Sea, N6030 was lost apparently over the sea

Martin

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

Lord knows then where they got their information from. The 19 July 41 Stirling was the only loss and attributed to Flak

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

I think that such awards did happen on both sides

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

I believe the crew of a He 219 were each given 1000 RM by Heinkel after making the first operational use of ejection seats from the 219 .

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

Gentlemen, thank you very much for your interesting information.
Does anyone know what the salary of officers and lower ranks was?

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

In addition to 500 Reichsmarks, Jäckel also received The Ehrenpokal der Luftwaffe (Honor Goblet of the Luftwaffe). In JG 26, he achieved a total of eight victories before being transferred to JG 51 Mölders. He was translated in early 1943, to 11./JG 51 to Russia. Whether he was sent there for indiscipline or at his own request will probably never be ascertained. In this unit 27.1.1943 achieved the last ninth victory, when he defeated the Soviet Pe-2, but then fell in air combat, 6 km SE of the Izocha base (Pskov region, Russia).

Re: Fw.Ernst JÄCKEL and a reward of 500 Reichsmarks
 

Hello Gaston,
Thank you very much for your contribution.
You claim that Fw.Ernst Jäckel came to JG 51 in early 1943. May I ask you where you got this information from? I have not yet found out when he left JG 26, it could have been in the fall or winter of 1942.
Fw.Ernst Jäckel was born in 1920. Please, does anyone know the exact date of birth and place?
Thank you very much
Regards Tony