[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Karoband

Hi Nick,

Thank you. That is truly a lot of detective work and it is appreciated. If I read your time line correctly, III./EJG 2 was absorbed on the 24th. For what it is worth, from Dan O'Connell, Me 262 The Production Log,, (Classic, 2005), p.217:

"25/04 Fw. Otto Kammerdiener of 10./EJG 2 transferred an EZ-42 equipped Me 262, "white 1" from Lechfeld to Riem between 20.25 and 20.40 for use by JV 44. Possibly W.Nr. 170047. [aau]" aau= Communication with Karl Rentschler

Three comments:
1. According to Robert Forsyth, Jagdverband 44 Squadron of Experten, (Osprey, 2008), p.28, Kammerdiener joined JV 44 on 11 March as an instructor from Fluglehrerschule der Luftwaffe.
2. The list of JV 44's pilots confirms Kammerdiener's immediately previous unit was "FLG.L.SCH. D. LW.".
3. It is likely Galland or Bär sent JV 44 pilots to Lechfeld to fetch intact Me 262 fighters of III./EJG 2, leaving the recce versions.

best regards,

Jim

Thanks. I think it's fairly certain that the machines evacuated from Lechfeld were all in München-Riem by nightfall on the 24th (sunset in Lechfeld on 24 April would be at 20.20 German Summer Time) and were either absorbed then or the next day.

Here's a couple more things I should have included in my chronology:

26 April:
The list of aircraft with JV 44 includes W.Nr. 111718 and 111748, both described as »Ruckführ-Flugzeug Lechfeld« (aircraft brought back from Lechfeld) and W.Nr. 111899 »Lechfeld-Messerschmidt« [sic]

A list of unit locations sent from 7. Jagd.Div. to Luftflotte 6 places JV 44 at Riem but does not mention III./EJG 2.

27 April:
The list of pilots with JV 44 sent to Lfl. 6 by Hptm. Gutowski includes nine from III./EJG 2 and one from II./EJG 2, adding that "JV 44 did not take over any photo-Me 262's".