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Re: II. and III./JG54 nighttime victories Eastern Front summer 1942
Hello Theo,
as I wrote you I assume the claim by Oblt. Dr. Werner Feise of Stab III./JG54 on 24-25.6.42 for a MBR-2 in the Novgorod-Lake Ilmen area (00.44) could have been an Aeroflot GVF PS-84 (CCCP-L3948) on a flight from Stockholm to Kalinin. I think these dangerous night flights were stopped probably in summer 1943 when the german night fighter force was increasing and probably reassumed after Finnland changed sides, but here we need the help of some russian experts.
About our other early ace in the east Ogefr. Engelbert Heiner of 9./KG.27 I have one more option for his first victorious night, when his crew claimed 3 victories in the Voronezh area including a four-engined. As I wrote I assume that he is responsible for the loss of 2 SB bombers of 331 OIAE of 642 NLBAP near Semiluki (W of Voronesh) during the night 10.-11.07.42. On 10.07.42 TB-3-equipped 7 AP ADD lost probably 1 TB-3 (pilot Kap. M.P. Alekseev and flight engineer St. Serzh. A.I. Gerasimov were KIA, buried in the Novo Usman area, E Voronesh). If the losses were during the same night this could well have been his first successful trio.
Also here any help for verification of this theory is welcome.
Cheers
Michael
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