Me 109 G Photograph

[Andy Saunders]

Just spotted this on another forum:

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=87077

It may be of interest to some here. Had personallynever seen this picture before.

[Tomislav Haramincic]

A very nice photo.

It's WNr.15110, an ex G-4/trop if I may add.


Happy New Year to all,
Tomislav

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, guys

Here is what I have on this:

http://www.ahs.no/ref_db/lw_loss_pub...?lossid=134803

Regards,
Andreas B

[Franek Grabowski]

And what happened to the pilot?

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

From the information in the thread I would assume he was apprehended and made a POW.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Franek Grabowski]

I have rather meant his post-war career, though it is interesting the conduct towards such deserters.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Franek

Happy New Year btw!

Would be very interesting both to see how he was treated by the brits, and also what happened to him after the war.

My guess is that he was apprehended, interrogated and put into a camp in Canada and just told to shut up about the defection altogether. After the war I would assume he did the same as millions of others - got on with his life and just kept his mouth shut about what he did during the war. But as you say, it would be very interesting to know.

I wonder if he was related to the other Karl Wimberger.. honorary citizen of Vienna and owner of a rather well known hotel there.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Franek Grabowski]

Happy New Year, indeed!
Well, I know only of Poles, who were forcefully drafted into German army, and deserted to join Polish forces, so those are completely different cases. Interestingly, there was at least one successful attempt to desert by Ju 52, that was claimed by British ace but not credited to him because Poles on board were going to land anyway. At least that was the story given by Shores in Aces High, but I do not have any details.

[Boris Ciglic]

There were some extraordinary defections. On 9 September 1943 Lt Josef Thurner of JG 77 flew over from northern Italy and deliberately force landed in Gorski Kotar area in what is today Croatia, near the village of Klana - his birthplace, and joined the XI Partisan Corps. He fought with them until the end of the war and later settled in Zagreb.
What is interesting is that he is listed as MIA on 5 January 1944 and the Yugoslav documents are clear about the date being 9 September 1943.

[Franek Grabowski]

Oh, I have heard of German Stuka pilot who defected to Polish partisans and fought with them until his death in August 1944. I was unable to find any details of his service though.