Schalldämpfungsflug

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Hi All,
does anybody know what is behind such a flight. Roughly translated it is a sound supression flight. The aircraft used was a Ju 88.

Thanks,

Norbert

[RSwank]

I wonder if this has something to do with acoustic "radar", either testing their own or testing suppression/evading techniques. Here is a little background on the detectors.

http://www.aqpl43.dsl.pipex.com/MUSE...MS/ear/ear.htm

[Nick Beale]

What about using the noise of aircraft to disguise the sound of vehicle movements behind the battle front (e.g. during the build-up for an attack)? I seem to remember reading that all nations did this sometimes.

[RSwank]

I guess we need to know when and where the flight(s) were made to get any better ideas. Is there a link to an article??

[Norbert Schuchbauer]

Hi All,
the flight inquestion was a KG 66 Ju 88 S-1 that was lost during such a flight on 31-Aug-43 near Villaroche.

Regards,

Norbert

[RSwank]

I looked up a little background on KG 66. It appears to have been formed as a pathfinder unit. Was working up in the summer of 1943 and was trained to use radio & radar blind bombing systems. Nothing about "sound suppression"

http://www.wiki.luftwaffedata.co.uk/...hp?title=KG_66

[Brian Bines]

According to ADIK report 160/1944 the 3rd staffel of I/KG66 ( operating with 5 staffeln intill a reorganistion to 3 staffeln in mid 1944) was known as the Storstaffel (jamming staffel) Radar investigation and jamming flights. Crew included an English speaking signals officer, and investigates counter measures to navigational aids and laying decoy flares. Ju88 S-1 Z6+CL was reported lost on 29/30-1-44 with Horchfunker Uffz. Johann Platzer plus 3 killed over the Scheldt Estuary. In this contest would Schalldämpfungsflug indicate a a enemy signal/transmission damping flight ?

[Marcel van Heijkop]

That mysterious 3./KG66 "Hör-und Störstaffel" is giving me a headache! It was an Electronic Warfare unit (listening to British frequencies and radar jamming) and it may have been attached to I./KG66 only for administrative purposes (i.e. its crews not mixing with the crews of the other I./KG66 Staffeln). Apart from a few losses in my losses list or some statements in British documents, I have not encountered a single veteran, Flugbuch (log) or photo of this spooky unit... And none of the surviving I./KG66 veterans has any recollection of ever meeting one of those guys..

Regarding "Schalldämpfungsflug", this crash of Ju 88 S-1 Z6+DL (W.Nr. 140580) of Uffz Ottomar Grünthal is the only time in my records for the entire war that this term pops up.. While the time of the crash at 3:30 AM suggests an operational/combat flight, it is not marked als "Feindflug" in my losses list. Together with the crash location inland (Villaroche) and the fact that a technical person i.e. 1. Wart (Crew Chief) Gefr Karl Marschall was on board, could this point to maintenance test flight?

Just guessing: Maybe they were suppressing/measuring something on or in the aircraft itself?

Regards,

Marcel

[Seaplanes]

By using my normally reliable German dictionary, the word Schalldämpfer means sound silencer, like the one you use on guns or a trumpet sordin. The word Schall means sound, tone or similar. Schallplatte is a grammophone record.
Used on aircraft it should mean that this particular aircraft had some form of silencing equipment to avoid detection.

[Andy Saunders]

It is not in my Air Ministry 'Manual of German Air Force Terminology' but according to my copy of the HMSO 'Vocabulary of German Military Terms & Abbreviations' it is, quite simply, a silencer.

Perhaps if not in this context as an engine silencer per se, then maybe an operational flight to 'silence' something else?