Problematical JG77 pilots X five

[Nokose]

Johannes, Since your on JG77 what do you have on the fate of Fw Franz Schulte 6./JG77 who went missing on the 12Aug42. According to what I read in one Russian account he went head to head in a dogfight with Kapitan Aleksandr Fedorovich Avdeev's (HSU and 5 +1 victory ace) Airacobra from the 153 IAP. The P-39 collided with the Bf 109 killing Avdeev but Schulte's was last seen parachuting to the ground. Shulte's last victory was recorded as a LaGG-3. In the story that I believe I read on www.airforce.ru some years back it stated that Schulte's deliberately rammed the P-39 (unusual for a change unless he was already wounded). In Mikhail Bykov's book on Soviet Aces he stated the story did not have standing in VVS documents but was by the Soviet press. Avdeev's last victory was a Bf 109 on the 04Jul42 north of Vyaznovatka and was listed as killed on the 12Aug42 ("Did not return from combat mission").

[Nikita Egorov]

Michael,

This story is pure fiction. By the time of Schulte emergency landing on Soviet held territory, Avdeev had been already dead for several hours, shot down by Alfred Kienath.

Originally Posted by Nokose

Johannes, Since your on JG77 what do you have on the fate of Fw Franz Schulte 6./JG77 who went missing on the 12Aug42. According to what I read in one Russian account he went head to head in a dogfight with Kapitan Aleksandr Fedorovich Avdeev's (HSU and 5 +1 victory ace) Airacobra from the 153 IAP. The P-39 collided with the Bf 109 killing Avdeev but Schulte's was last seen parachuting to the ground. Shulte's last victory was recorded as a LaGG-3. In the story that I believe I read on www.airforce.ru some years back it stated that Schulte's deliberately rammed the P-39 (unusual for a change unless he was already wounded). In Mikhail Bykov's book on Soviet Aces he stated the story did not have standing in VVS documents but was by the Soviet press. Avdeev's last victory was a Bf 109 on the 04Jul42 north of Vyaznovatka and was listed as killed on the 12Aug42 ("Did not return from combat mission").

[Johannes]

Hi Nikita

I was just about to start on JG54 queries, but as you asked. I have Oberfeldwebel Franz Schulte claiming a LaGG-3 about 20km East of Vorenezh at 1240 hrs at an altitude of 800 metres whilst with 6./Jg77. He then force-landed his Bf109 6km North-North-East of Priwalowka(sorry don't know the distance between the two) this was his forty-first confirmed claim(three more u/c) If indeed he force-landed sortly after(during the same sortie as his claim) then somebody else completed the paperwork for his claim, on his behalf!

Kind Regards

Johannes