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Re: Oberst Hajo Herrmann - May 1945
Hello Denes,
the pilots assembled at Klagenfurt-Zollfeld didn't belong to a specially named unit. They were called "Unternehmen Bienenstock". We all came from the airfield of Pocking where the pilots assembled who either have returned from the ramming mission of 7th April 1945 or didn't have flown that mission. Originally they should fly to US air bases in Italy, e.g. Fogia and Rimini, to destroy heavy bombers parked there. The mission was cancelled because of bad weather around April/May and the armistice for the Southern front.
New orders asked for the Hungary missions. All plans landed at dusk near selected targets and started next moring at dawn. Primarly Bü 181 were used besides some Bü 131, Go 145 and one Ar 66. Actions took place in the area between Papa and Neusiedler See. One crash of a Bü 131 is reported at Sopronkövesd near Lövö. According to my archiv on 5th and 6thMay 34 Pilots (17 crews) started.
Near the end of the war all soldiers including the high staffs expected war between the USA and Russia in the near future. Hajo Herrman expected superiority of the USAAF but also wearing out fights for both powers. See his book "Als die Jagd zu Ende war".
Best wishes
Fritz M.
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