Hi Richard,
Some time ago I downloaded copies of many of Spring's documents and photographs from the
Wehrmacht Awards Forum (I can email them to you if you don't already have them). A document related to his death is signed by the
Kommandeur, Henze, who led the I.
Gruppe of
Schlachtgeschwader 77. The document mentioned that he was killed in a crash shortly before landing, cause unknown, after completing a bombing training mission in an FW 190. This makes sense given that the
Gruppe was converting to the FW 190 in June 1944.
Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications -
www.facebook.com/airwarpublications