[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, John.


Although it seems that I./JG 53 did not fly any missions between 2nd and 8th of March 1945, I have three losses recorded for the 6th, two of which would be accidents (category 20-24 probably) while the last one would be a category 1, although no crew member info was given. Not an operative mission perhaps, but they did thus have multiple aircraft in the air also between the dates You mentioned, and there might have been sorties not counting as 'Feindflüge' on the 4th.

Also, this is late in the war, and there surely are losses that are not recorded in the available files for this period.

I also find the details a bit 'fishy', and will ask a friend of mine who are VERY well into the opposite side if it at all is possible that the JG 53 would oppose I-16's this late in the war....

Also, I agree with You John: Dr. Prien has certainly had access to the NVM's of JG 53 during his research for the books he wrote on the unit, these however seems to thin out also after about February 10th 1945.....

So - we cannot really know without pulling his file at Aachen (or are they in Freiburg yet??), which should exist since he claims he was a Lt.

As he was a Lt and trained in 1943, and had a relatively short operational career, he would have had to attend the KS as far as I can see. (Thus a Tr.O and not a Kr.O?? right??)

Regard,
Andreas