[RodM]

Hi Mikebee,

218 Sqdn Lancaster PD278 crashed, as you say, 2 km from Marisfeld, along the homeward route from the target, Dessau. It is the only aircraft known to have crashed in that immediate area (bearing in mind that there are three further losses from that raid where the crash locations have not been identified/published to date).

According to an air situation report (Reich Luftlagemeldung) prepared by the Air Operations Staff of the Luftwaffe High Command (Oberkommando der Luftwaffe Führungsstab Ic) on the morning of 8 March 1945, the Nachtjagd claimed 23 certain victories against the aircraft on the Dessau raid. The details of some 20 of these claims have been uncovered and/or published to date. Of the known claims, only one roughly matches the location where PD278 crashed:

Pilot: Fw. Helmut Burkhard
Unit: 1./NJG5
A/C Type claimed: Lancaster
Location of claim: S.S.W. Meiningen
Time of claim: 22.45

Source: The Nachtjagd War Diaries Vol 2, Boiten/Mackenzie (Red Kite, 2008)



As it often the case in these situations, the best that can be said is that Burhard most likely shot down Lancaster PD278, pending verification and publication of all claims and crash sites.

Cheers

Rod