Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Hello,

This is a question to the Messerschmitt experts: Did the Messerschmitt plant at Flossenbürg also produce parts for the Me 262 at the end of the war? Or just Bf 109?

If found the following text in the history of the US 90th Infantry Division:

"On 18 April the Battalion set off on a seven day chase which covered a distance of 123 kilometers and netted over 500 prisoners. We passed through OBER-WEISSENBACH, BRAND, FALKENBERG, ELLENBACH,
ALDTHURN and ESLARN. During this chase the Battalion encountered only negligible resistance while moving through terrain ranging from open and solid to tree covered swamps. The German concentration camp at FLOSSENBURG was liberated on the 23rd with a mere 1163 of the original 16,000 prisoners still there. The others had either been moved away or killed. Among the more important personalities held here were Joseph Stalin’s son, a British General, the former Prince of Bavaria, and a large number of French officers. A Messerschmidt factory was also found on the camp grounds."

Roger

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

hi,

there are photos of me262-components in jerry crandalls wings of the black cross together with other luftwaffe planes at the end of the war. so maybe these me262-fuselages etc. came from there. some bf 109 on one photo are carrying markings with the words flossenbrueck on their damaged fuselages.

all the best
jim

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Hi Jim,

thanks! In what volumes are these photos printed? I have most.

In my old notes, I found a reference to a Me 262 fuselage photo with the caption "Weidgen", which was most likely "Weiden" that was between Flossenbürg and Grafenwöhr. Unfortunately, I did not note down where I saw that photo. But if that was indeed Weiden, it could have been a railcar with Me 262 fuselages produced at either Flossenbürg or Grafenwöhr.

Cheers,

Roger

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Hi Roger,

direcly connected to Flossenbürg was Vilseck as final assembly and test flight facility. Some Me 262 fuselages where found there by the end of the war (photographic evidence exists). It's very likely that they came out of the Flossenbürg test built. Two barracks where equipped with a production line for the Me 262.

For reference see the following passage from the US Survey of Messerschmitt Factory an Function Oberammergau:

Subassembly and Assambly of 262 Fuselages

Two smaller buildings, at the Flossenberg quarry, were used for this
work. The first building had four framing and skinning fixtures ·for the
side panels. The entire. arrangement appeared to be in a formative stage,
quite different from the 109 line. Only six fuselages were in evidence.
The other buildings contained the fuselage assembly, but only four
fuselages were in evidence. The tail ends of four more were scattered
about, together with one battered portion of a jet unit. No installation
was made with the exception of canopy.
Again this assembly did not seem to have gotten under way. No performance or contemplated production figures were available.


Best regards

Matthias

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Hello Matthias,

Thank you very much for that interesting excerpt from the US report. So, they have indeed started Me 262 fuselage production at Flossenbürg. In a Mtt report, I also found a reference to Cham as producer of fuselage components (Rumpfteile) of the Me 262.

If the photo in my old notes was indeed taken at Weiden, the fuselages may have been transported to Weiden from Flossenbürg/Vilseck and from Weiden down to Obertraubling for final assembly.

In the history of the US 357th Infantry (attached to the 90th Infantry Division I mentioned in #1), I found the (I think well known) photo in the link below of Bf 109 on railcars. The 357th Infantry passed through Flossenbürg and was at the Messerschmitt plant. Do you have an idea where exactly that photo was taken?

http://www.90thdivisionassoc.org/90t...rybook/102.htm

Same one as shown here:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/280920...80126592/page4

But it may have been at a different location as some of the fuselages already have tactical markings on them. Looks more like a transport for repair.

There is another airfield photo in the history of the 357th Infantry showing a Si 204 with StKz VW+??.

http://www.90thdivisionassoc.org/90t...rybook/111.htm

Best regards,

Roger

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Hi Roger

:) Regarding your question about 90th Inf. ... Congratulations to KG13R

Christoph

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Hi Christoph,

Touché ;-)

Roger

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

... I would have liked to take over ... :wink:


Good luck to research the Me262 concerned.

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

Thank you!

Re: Me 262 component assembly at Flossenbürg?
 

... here's still a badly preserved KG13R :o

---> https://www.ebay.de/itm/Luftwaffe-We...sAAOSwMl9aZdg9