View Single Post
  #8  
Old 17th August 2019, 02:29
JBL1177 JBL1177 is offline
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2019
Posts: 25
JBL1177 is on a distinguished road
Re: VVS Victories 25 May 1943

Thanks all very much for this information.

Erich Frielinghaus's Wehrpass places his death as occurring 12 km eastwards of Isjum. A letter in his papers notes he was lost on a combat mission in the Isjum area. His flight, led by the Staffel commander, was intercepted by many enemy fighters, and Frielinghaus was seen to crash in flames.

Likewise, Walter Waiss in his "Chronik Kampfgeschwader Nr. 27 Boelcke," Band V, pp.125-26 notes the destruction of the two He 111s from 9./KG-27 on 25 May 1943 and locates the site of the crash of Frielinghaus's aircraft as 12 km east of Isjum".

Regarding the shoot down of the second He 111 (Stople), Waiss gives the location as probably 18 km SE of Isjum. Furthermore, he identifies the surviving POW as Uffz. Peter Faust (born 7 Feb. 1921) and states that he was held at Lager "Stalingrad-Begetowska", "Lazarett Linda," Lager "Oranki" and Lager "Stalin-Sawod" near Gorki. Faust was released on 2 Oct. 1948.

Air battles can cover long distances. It looks like this was a running fight. An account by a participant (H. Nowak from 8./KG-27) in Waiss states that the target was the RR station in the southern part of "Waluiki." The weather report stated the target area was covered by thick clouds, which was why the mission was flown. The bombers flew singly rather than in tight formation. Unfortunately, the target turned out to be under nearly clear skies, which allowed the fighters to intercept. Nowak managed to hide in a thick cloud just as the fighters showed up. He blamed the bad weather report for the loss of the two planes.

Kirche, I'm most grateful for your help. I'll post more information on the action as it comes to hand.

Best wishes,
John
Reply With Quote