Luftwaffe losses Feb 21, 1945

[kris99]

Hi Guys,

Does anyone have a listing or source for Luftwaffe pilots missing or killed on Feb 21, 1945 in Salzwedel area? I searching for information about fight 316 Sqn (Polish) with formation Fw 190D and Do 217. I don't have Urbanke book 'Green hearts'.

best regards
Kris

[John Beaman]

Not sure where the location listed is in relation to what you are asking. This is the only JG 54 D-9 I have on that date. Note it is listed as lost to P-47s

FW 190D-9, 210088, Müller, Ofw. Siegfried, 35, III.11. (IV.) JG 54 (JG 26), gelbe10 +, 21-Feb-45, KIA due to Luftkampf with P-47s, after take off., DKiG.Lw.Kdo.WestGen., Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #12); Gen.Qu.6.Abt.-BA-MA Signatur RL 2 III/1199, p.66; Urbanke, Green Hearts, p.319, Hapertshausen bei Babenhausen

[Keizer Cali]

Hi Kris,

For 21 February 1945 I have D-9 losses from III./JG 2, 6./JG 26, III./JG 54 and II./JG 301. However, none of them occurred anywhere near Salzwedel and, as far as my information goes, none of them could be attributed to 316 (Polish) Squadron.

To be more precise, three III./JG 2 D-9s were lost in accidents due to fuel starvation; one 6./JG 26 D-9 was shot down by own FLAK; III./JG 54 lost one D-9 (see John's reply) and two damaged in a surprise attack from 362 FG / 378 FS P-47s, and a single D-9 of II./JG 301 was lost near Glogau (Głogów) in air combat (no further information available).

I hope this is of help.

Cheers,

Marc

[Paul Thompson]

Originally Posted by Keizer Cali

Hi Kris,

For 21 February 1945 I have D-9 losses from III./JG 2, 6./JG 26, III./JG 54 and II./JG 301. However, none of them occurred anywhere near Salzwedel and, as far as my information goes, none of them could be attributed to 316 (Polish) Squadron.

To be more precise, three III./JG 2 D-9s were lost in accidents due to fuel starvation; one 6./JG 26 D-9 was shot down by own FLAK; III./JG 54 lost one D-9 (see John's reply) and two damaged in a surprise attack from 362 FG / 378 FS P-47s, and a single D-9 of II./JG 301 was lost near Glogau (Głogów) in air combat (no further information available).

I hope this is of help.

Cheers,

Marc

Hello Marc,

May I take this thread slightly off-topic and ask if II./JG 301 was operating on the Eastern Front on this date? I apologise if the answer is widely known, the only book that I have read on this period is Don Caldwell's history of the RLV fighter force. That book lists II./JG 301 operations against the USAAF on 9, 14 and 25 February as well as 2 and 15 March. Do you know how often JG 301 units operated in the East?

Regards,

Paul Thompson

[Erich]

Paul JG 301

yes jabo missions during February 1945, losses primarily to Soviet ground based flak trucks.

[Paul Thompson]

Originally Posted by Erich

Paul JG 301

yes jabo missions during February 1945, losses primarily to Soviet ground based flak trucks.

Hello Erich,

Thank you for the confirmation. Would I be correct in assuming that JG 301 lost relatively few aircraft in these missions? Does any published source list its losses in 1945?

Regards,

Paul Thompson

[Delmenhorst]

There is a book out called 'Jagdgeschwader 301/301 Wilde Sau' by Willi Reschke. Motorbuchverlag ISBN 3-613-01898-5

[kris99]

Thank all.
I find this info from Kracker Luftwaffe:
Ofw. Otto Weber, 11./JG 54, Fw 190D-9 yellow 6, lost during aerial combat with P-51's on 21 February, 1945, at Legden, south of Münster, pilot bailed safely.

and

In Mr Rosipal JG 54 loss list
Fw. Gerhard Kroll, 9./JG 54, crash landing 21 February, 1945 at Hesepe airfield after air combat with P-51

In air combat Poles lost two Mustangs. III./JG 54 pilots claim three victories over P-51.

[Kaczmarek]

The I./301 stay in Salzwedel, he was moved from Sachau. Losses are known from the mission after moving of 25th February 1945 in the vicinity of Salzwedel.

Rgds,
Kaczmarek

[Paul Thompson]

Originally Posted by Delmenhorst

There is a book out called 'Jagdgeschwader 301/301 Wilde Sau' by Willi Reschke. Motorbuchverlag ISBN 3-613-01898-5

Hello Delmenhorst,

Thank you. I was aware of this title, do you know if there is a more general treatment of the subject, namely the operations of the RLV units on the Eastern Front in 1945?

Originally Posted by Kaczmarek

The I./301 stay in Salzwedel, he was moved from Sachau. Losses are known from the mission after moving of 25th February 1945 in the vicinity of Salzwedel.

Rgds,
Kaczmarek

Hello Kaczmarek,

Caldwell lists I./JG 301 losses of 5 Fw 190A on 25 February against the USAAF. This raises the question, was only II Gruppe operating as a ground attack unit and on what dates?

Regards,

Paul Thompson