Friendly fire WWII

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Some more cases, issued from the JG 54 loss list from the late Günther Rosipal:

9 January 1942
The Bf 109 F-2 WNr 12647 of 3./JG 54, flown by Gefr. Gustav Haubner, was shot down in error by German Flak and crashed near Krasnogwardeisk airfield, killing its pilot.

22 March 1943
Uffz. Josef Guth of 3./JG 54 was attacked in error by a Bf 109 of II./JG 54 in Russia (Pl. Qu. 9036) and bailed out wounded from his Fw 190 A-4 Wnr (14)5760.

14 May 1943
Oblt. Rudolf Klemm, an ace of 9./JG 54, claimed his 25th victory (a B-24 shot down at Rieseby, 8 km N Eckernförde) during the interception of an American raid on Kiel but his Bf 109 G-4 WNr 16144 10 + ^^ yellow was then shot down by his own Flak and destroyed at 100%. Klemm was wounded, blinding him in one eye. Despite this handicap, Klemm returned to combat duty some weeks later and survived the war with 42 victories.

12 November 1943
Luftflotte 6 dispatched all available aircraft, a total of 215 sorties, despite the poor weather conditions, to the Nevel area. The Russians had broken through and were heavily supporting the advance with ground-attack aircraft. This was to be Walter Nowotny's last combat mission on the Eastern front, and Uffz Karl Schnörrer of Stab I./JG 54 flew as his wingman. Nowotny attacked a Russian Il-2 Sturmovik ground-attack aircraft and shot it down for his 255th victory. A second Il-2 attacked Nowotny's Fw 190 but Schnörrer managed to bring down this Il-2 for his 35th, and last, victory with JG 54. Schnörrer's Fw 190 A-5 (W.Nr. 410 021 green 2) then received hits from another Il-2, or from German Flak according to another source. He baled out of his blazing Fw 190 at an altitude of no more than 50 to 70 meters. The parachute deployed only a few meters above the ground. German soldiers rescued the badly injured pilot, who had suffered broken legs and a skull fracture. Having recovered from his wounds, Leutnant Schnörrer was then assigned to Erprobungskommando 262 in June 1944, flying the Me 262 jet fighter.

31 January 1944
Fw Heinrich Brücher of JG 54 was killed by his own Flak at Towaschewo. No more details.

6 November 1944
FhjUffz. Günther Kurz of 12./JG 54 was killed when German Flak shot down in error his Fw 190 D-9 WNr 210012 (TS+SL, red 7+) over the airfield of Achmer.

Source:
JG 54 loss list, by Günther Rosipal (http://www.jg54greenhearts.com/LossList.htm)
http://www.luftwaffe.cz/klemm.html
http://www.luftwaffe.cz/schnorrer.html