|
Bf 109 loss on April 16th, 1945
On April 16th, 1945, at around 11 a.m., a Bf109 crashed in the Dormitzer Flur, some 20 kms north of Nuremberg; the village of Dormitz had just been taken by US troops and the 15th Infantry Regiment had reported it as "cleared" at 09.25 a.m. that day.
The Bf109 in question came from the northwest, hit the ground in a shallow angle and slithered on the ground for several 100 meters, flipped over and was consumed by flames with the pilot according to an eye-witness still in the cockpit. A short while later a US Jeep appeared, inspected the wreckage and left without any further action.
According to another eye-witness the Bf109 was hit by a Flak battery positioned near the village, some 1.500 mtrs from where the plane first hit the ground. It has also been speculated that the a/c was actually hit while strafing US positions near Baiersdorf, about 10 kms away from the crash-site.
So far no trace of the pilot, of his unit or anything else has been found; there is no grave at Dormitz or in the surrounding villages, no official document related to the crash and/or the fate of the pilot - simply nothing.
Some time after the war was over, the local priest took some photos of the crash site which however reveal nothing more than that the a/c was a Bf109, the wreck lying on ist back and showing the curved bearer arm of a DB605AS or DB605D engine. The fuselage is completely burnt and there is not even a trace of any marking, WerkNr. or other piece of information.
According to what official documents and information I have, II./JG53 and IV./JG53 were active in the Nuremberg area on this day although I have nothing that would match with this loss, neither a/c nor pilot nor even unit.
Can anybody out there shed some light on this loss ? Some People at Dormitz would be extremely grateful if that pilot could get a name.
KR
Jochen Prien
|