A couple of questions re StFw Heinz Kuschel, I./JG 27

[sveahk]

Looking through Heinz Kuschels "Flugbuch" from April till September 1944, some questions come to mind:

1. His first "kill", a Thunderbolt, obviously came early in the morning on his "8. Feindflug". The date was 30.6.44 when he flew a Bf 109 G6, marked +9. The area was Chéniers. Is this victory confirmed?

2. The same question re his second "kill". This time it's a B-17 shot down at Langendiebach - Frankfurt he writes down in the remarks. It's his "10. Feindflug".

3. After his "11. Feindflug" on August 8 his hunting days are for the time being over. He doesn't get a stamp for his flights but a signature from a "Ltn. u. Staffelkapitän 1 JG 27". It looks very much as if he wrote the certificate himself. Only the Lieutnant's signature is somewhat different. And who could that have been...? (see attachment)

4. According to Kuschels Flugbuch he afterwards was sent to the flight school in Baltringen, southern Germany, to teach younger fighter pilots. Which he did mostly in a "L 3". Now, is this the american "Grasshopper", the Aeronca L-3? And if yes, how did that plane end up in a German flight school?

A couple of questions, to which I very much would appreciate answers!
Thanks in advance

Hans K

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Hans,
there seems to be some confusion in this Flugbuch. The only claim that I have for StFw. Heinz Kuschel was an endgültige Vernichtung of a B-17 north of Langendiebach on 12 May 1944, which did not count as an Abschuss. It is strange though that this claim was filed on his 10th Feindflug in May while still in Germany, whereas his allegedly first Abschuss was filed on his 8th sortie in June 1944 in France. Then I./JG27 reported no a/c lost on 8 August 1944, the Gruppe at that time waiting to be withdrawn to Germany, reporting "0" pilots ready for combat on 10 August 1944. Finally, the Staffelkapitän of 1./JG 27 for the time in question would have been Llt.Max Winkler - I leave it to you to decide if that's the name behind the signature.

KR

Jochen Prien

[Col Bruggy]

Hello,

FFS A 23 at Kaufbeuren - Sattelite at Baltringen - One of the aircraft used was the Fiat L3*. Personally, never heard of it!

http://www.ww2.dk/air/schule/ffsab23.htm

1./JG 106 also a possibility:

http://www.ww2.dk/air/jagd/jg106.html (1./JG 106)

http://www.ww2.dk/Airfields%20-%20Ge...20Borders].pdf - (BALTRINGEN - pp.41-2 of 726)

* Barry Rosch, in his Luftwaffe Codes, Markings & Units 1939-1945, (p.387) also mentions the Fiat L3 in relation to FFS (A) 23.

Col.

[sveahk]

Dear Jochen,

Thanks for your quick answer - and I can understood the confusion, one of the reasons why I'm asking. In the attachment you'll find, first the B-17 dates in question, and then also the Thunderbolt "kill". I'm interested if you've any further comments on those.

Btw, the Flugbuch as such seems very much genuine to me, don't believe it has been tampered with...

Cheers

Hans K

[sveahk]

Dear Col Bruggy,

Thanks for your interesting answer. Italian, yes, why not?! In "Der Luftkrieg zwischen Donau und Bodensee" by Hans Willbold, he cites a "Flugschüler" from FFS A/B 23:

" Auch einige italienische Maschinen hatten wir. Das eindrucksvollste Ding war die L 3, ein freitragender Tiefdecker mit nebeneinanderliegenden offenen Führersitzen, Vierzylinder-Boxermotor und starrem Fahrwerk, jedoch ohne jegliche Bremsen. Dafür war ein Notsporn da, der herausgezogen werden konnte, wenn's nicht langte. Eindrucksvoll war dieses Maschinchen deshalb, weil es Segelflugeigenschaften hatte..."

In short, an italian low-wing monoplane with two pilots seats side by side in the open. No brakes, only an emergency spur to use if you had to...!

Never heard of this one either. Someone?

Cheers

Hans K

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Hans,
I agree that the Flugbuch itself looks genuine but the contents as far as can be seen from your excerpts has obviously been made up, most likely in the futile attempt to reconstruct Kuschel's short flying career in I./JG27. The B-17 on 5 August 1944 certainly stands for the endgültige Vernichtung on 12 May, while I./JG 27 was still in France on 5 August 1944. So it would be correct to move the comment concerning the destruction of a B-17 to the entry of 12 May 1944, which would also match with the place where he landed on that day. As for the P-47 - probably he filed a claim but if so this was most likely turned down at unit level already since there is no trace and no space left for so far unaccounted P-47 claims from I./IG27 for early August 1944. The same applies for the sortie which allegedly ended with a parachute jump - may be he was shot down and had to take to the parachute, but if so, no idea when and where this might have taken place. I'll have to check whether the GQM summary loss returns shows a so far unaccounted loss of I./JG27 on the date given in the Flugbuch.

KR

Jochen Prien

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hans

With regard to the L-3 aircraft, I suspect it was the Avia FL.3 which the Germans captured some 250 units after Italy switched side.

It was a quite neat side-by-side two-seater and some 335 MM-numbers are known for Regia Aeronautica alone.

You can google the type to see what it looked like

Cheers
Stig

[ouidjat]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Hans

With regard to the L-3 aircraft, I suspect it was the Avia FL.3 which the Germans captured some 250 units after Italy switched side.

It was a quite neat side-by-side two-seater and some 335 MM-numbers are known for Regia Aeronautica alone.

You can google the type to see what it looked like

Cheers
Stig

FL for Francis Lombardi. Died in Vercelli, Italy, 1983.
His family vault is situated 200m by crow flight from where I'm living now.
And The airfield where the FL.3 made his first flight is situated 300m from the same location.

AVIA for Azionaria Vercellese Industrie Aeronautiche

[sveahk]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Hans

With regard to the L-3 aircraft, I suspect it was the Avia FL.3 which the Germans captured some 250 units after Italy switched side.

It was a quite neat side-by-side two-seater and some 335 MM-numbers are known for Regia Aeronautica alone.

You can google the type to see what it looked like

Cheers
Stig

That's the one! Thanks Stig (and Ouidjat), a plane that went under my radar...

Cheers Hans K

[sveahk]

Originally Posted by Jochen Prien

....the sortie which allegedly ended with a parachute jump - may be he was shot down and had to take to the parachute, but if so, no idea when and where this might have taken place. I'll have to check whether the GQM summary loss returns shows a so far unaccounted loss of I./JG27 on the date given in the Flugbuch.

KR

Jochen Prien

Dear Jochen - Looking forward to see what you can find!

Cheers Hans K