Karl Rammelt last mission on 23.12.1944

[Peter Kassak]

Hi all,

I was recently investigating parts of 23.12.1944 air combats and came to discrepancy regarding Luftwaffe pilot Hptm. Karl Rammelt. It is stated on some web pages and sources, that this pilot was lost in his Bf 109G-14 after victory over B-24.

FACTS:
II./JG 51 was stationed at Imely airfiel that time.
Combat should occur over Hungary.
On 23.12.1944 15th USAAF did not fly missions excluding special mission to Balkan dropping supplies and loosing only one B-24L 44-49336, 885 BS
2641st Spl Gp, 2nd Lt A.B. Legarth USAAF - pilot - MIA near Sarajevo,
Yugoslavia
Other II./JG 51 pilot in his FB stated they flew Freie Jagd to Esztergom area.
Rammelt is mentioned to crash in Northern Hungary.

QUESTIONS:
Has someone Rammelt's FB or had speak to him about this? I noticed he passed away in 2009, so there is a chance someone did.
Where did the B-24 claim originate from? Could it be claim of other plane? A Russian one?

Thanks for any info, hints, tips, data....
regards

Peter

[Andrew Arthy]

Hi Peter,

Karl Rammelt did not claim any aerial victories on this mission. He took off from Imely at 11:35 in Bf 109 G-14 WNr. 780 887 to fly a sweep, and encountered enemy fighters.

My colleague Morten Jessen interviewed him several times before he passed away, and he described this mission to us. The story will be told in my II./Jagdgeschwader 51 book, when I finally have time to finish it!

Cheers,
Andrew A.
Air War Publications - www.facebook.com/airwarpublications