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Re: Information sort on Fw Helmut Lußky - flier with 3.ZG1
1st July 1942
3./ZG 1
Fw. Helmut Lußky (P)
Uffz. Karl-Fritz Schröder
Bf 110 F-2
S9+KL
4096
Shot down by Russian tank. Force-landed 500 m. behind enemy lines at Babenkoff. Both crewmen returned to unit.
Karl told me about the incident in full. Their Bf 110 was hit in the wing by a shell from a tank, and after that, it flew 'wing heavy' Lußky used all his strength on the control column and rudder bar to keep the Bf 110 level as they headed towards German lines. He then told Karl to strap in tightly, as when the Bf 110 rached a certain point above the ground he would let go of all the controls and let it 'flip over'. He estimated that once it had flipped and returned to almost level flight, it would be so close to the ground that he could wrestle with the controls to get it down safely, right-way up. His estimation was spot on, and he both them both down safely, and they headed the few hundred yards back to the German lines. I will never forget what Karl said to me after he recounted the incident. "That man saved my life!", almost with tears in his eyes.
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