Lt. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of II/NJG

[ArtieBob]

A friend has requested if I could help research the loss of a family member. Lancaster III OF-U serial LM323 Op Cologne (Take off from Bourne 22.51) was shot down by Lt. Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer of II/NJG1 crashing at 01.30, 29 June 1943, at Solwaster (Liege) and on the western side of Hautes Fagnes 12 Km SE of Verviers. Can anyone provide more details of either Schnaufer's career or the night fighter aircraft he flew on this mission. Thanks in advance.

Best Regards,

ArtieBob

[Delmenhorst]

from www.ww2.dk

SCHNAUFER

, Heinz-Wolfgang.
(DOB: 16.02.22 in Calw/Wurttemberg or possibly Stuttgart).
(RESB, DKG). (W.B.K. Potsdam I).
15.11.39 entered the Luftwaffe as a Fahnenjunker and began training with
Fl.Ausb.Rgt. 42 in Salzwedel.
08.01.40 trf to FFS A/B 3.
20.08.40 trf to FFS E (C) 3 Alt-Lonnewitz.(to 05.41).
01.04.41 promo to Lt. and trf to BFS 2 Neuburg/Donau, followed by 10 weeks at the Zerstorer-Schule at Wunstorf. (n.d.) trf to NJ Schule 1. 11.41 Lt., trf to 5./NJG 1.
10.04.42 appt Techn.Offz. of II./NJG 1.
01.08.42 Lt., Stab II./NJG 1.
01.07.43 promo to Oblt.
26.07.43 awarded the Ehrenpokal.
13.08.43 Oblt., appt Staka 12./NJG 1 (to 01.03.44).
16.08.43 Oblt., awarded DKG, II./NJG 1.
31.12.43 Oblt., awarded Ritterkreuz, Staka 12./NJG 1.
01.03.44 Oblt., appt Kdr. IV./NJG 1 (to 04.11.44).
01.05.44 promo to Hptm.
24.06.44 Hptm., awarded Eichenlaub, Kdr. IV./NJG 1.
30.07.44 Hptm., awarded Schwerter, Kdr. IV./NJG 1. 16.10.44 Hptm., awarded Brillanten, Kdr. IV./NJG 1.
14.11.44 Hptm., appt Kommodore NJG 4 (to 08.05.45).
01.12.44 promo to Maj.
20/21.02.45 Maj., Stab/NJG 4.
09.04.45 flew his last mission.
05.45 captured by the British at Eggebek/Schleswig-Holstein. Credited with 121 victories in at least 164 combat missions. Virtually all of his victories were at night making him the most successful night fighter pilot of all time.
11.45 released from British captivity.
23.09.46 crossed the Swiss border illegally and were arrested by border guards and interned. Released 6 months later. Returned to the
family wine business.
†15.07.50 south of Bordeaux in an auto accident with a truck, dying two days later. Buried in Calw.

[Chris Goss]

Suggest you get hold of 'Ace of Diamonds' by Peter Hinchliffe which is Schnaufer's bio

[ClinA-78]

Wim (Govaerts) should help you too.

ClinA-78

[ArtieBob]

Thanks for all the information, I was posting this request for a friend, as I do not have much interest in this particular area, nor much in the way of resource material that would help. It will be greatly appreciated by the RAF airman's family.

Best Regards,

ArtieBob

[Leo Etgen]

Hello guys

Here is what I have on this ace. Not much more than what
Delmenhorst has already posted but with additional information regarding his victims. Any comments or corrections are most welcome. I hope this helps.

Schnaufer.zip

Horrido!

Leo

[Doug Stankey]

Apparently many are unaware that there is a dedicated, if compact, biography of Schnaufer in the form of this 47 page booklet:

Schumann, Ralf. Ritterkreuzträger Profile Nr. 1 Heinz-Wolfgang Schnaufer (Stengelheim: Unitec/Flugzeug Publikations GmbH). ISBN: - none?

I bought mine from Christian Schmidt @ 11.20 Euro. Ralf Schumann's research is of the highest quality.

As for operational details, the best general accounting of night by night actions is:

Boiten, Dr. Theo; Roderick J.Mckenzie Nachtjagd War Diaries Volume One (Walton on Thames: Red Kite, 2008) (Wing Leader, 2011). ISBN: 978-1-908757-01-2.
Boiten, Dr. Theo; Roderick J.Mckenzie Nachtjagd War Diaries Volume Two (Walton on Thames: Red Kite, 2008) (Wing Leader, 2011). ISBN: 978-1-908757-01-2.