Major Karl-Heinz Kamp (III/JG 300) loss.

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Good morning to all members!

I am looking for details about the dismise of former ZG 26 and Night Fighter ace, Major Karl-Heinz Kamp, Gruppenkommandeur of III/JG 300 on the 31st December 1944.

Kracker Archives do have him shot down aboard Bf 109G-10 Werk # 491253 (or 233) "Black << + I"

Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries
Section G-K Version: 01 April 2012. By: Henry L. deZeng IV and Douglas G. Stankey

The above PDF file do say that he was shot down aboard a Junkers JU 88 G-10 (a rare bird):
KAMP, Hans-Karl. (DOB: 09.01.18). (DKG). 06.40 in 3./ZG 76. 06/07.09.41 Oblt., 8./NJG 1.
01.05.42 Oblt., appt Staka 7./NJG 4 (to 23.06.43). 01.04.43 in NJG 4, promo to Hptm. 23.06.43 Hptm.,
appt Kdr. III./NJG 4 (to 06.12.44). 25.06.43 Hptm., awarded the Ehrenpokal. 01.08.44 promo to Maj.
01.10.44 Hptm.?, awarded DKG, NJG (unspecified). 07.12.44 Maj., appt Kdr. III./JG 300 (to 31.12.44,
KIA – in Ju 88 G-10 shot down N of Hamburg by a P-51). Buried at Hannover–Seelhorst. (23 victories).
1-DO WE HAVE A POSITIVE CLAIM FROM THE USAAF FOR THIS LOSS (NORTH OF HAMBURG)? I AM LOOKING TO MATCH THE AMERICAN PILOT WHO CLAIMED HIM...
2- AM ALMOST SURE HE WAS CLAIMED ABOARD THE BF 109 G-10 QUOTED, BUT WHICH HISTORIAN IS RIGHT ABOUT THE AIRCRAFT HE WAS FLYING?
3- BEING A PILOT CREDITED WITH 23 CLAIMS..WHY WAS HE TRANSFERRED TO DAY-FIGHTERS, BY DECEMBER 1944? THIS SEEMS STRANGE...REALLY...THERE ARE OTHER CASES...BUT ANYONE HAS AN IDEA?

Yours, Adriano Silva Baumgartner

[Chris Goss]

NVM is indistinct but it was a Bf 109 G-10 (not a Ju 88 G-10), 491233 or 491253 with double chevrons. Combat was north of Hannover (north of Hamburg would be over the sea).

Kamp was a very experienced day fighter pilot (with I/ZG 76 from the start of the war) and then a nightfighter pilot with NJG 1 and NJG 4. With the losses being suffered by the Luftwaffe at the end of 1944, his experience would have been needed. His claims were 21 by night, two by day

As to who got him, there were quite a number of claims this day but only the 370th FS claimed anything near Hannover claiming 6 Bf 109s destroyed, one probable and one damaged

[Rasmussen]

It was for sure the W.Nr.491233 because the W.Nr.491253 left the factory in Leipzig after 04 January 1945 ... it would be an mystery if an a/c was shoot down before it was produced.

Best regards
Rasmussen

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

I have 22 documented nighttime Abschüsse for Kamp, will list all these (plus matchings to actual BC losses -) in the NJWD 2nd edition.

I'm not sure though of one of his claims, on 1-2 May 44, it may be that Kamp's Abschuss was later rejected in favour of Drewes claim?:

Hptm. Hans-Karl Kamp: 17 Stab III./NJG4 Lancaster Saint-Arnoult: 3.800 m. 00.43 75 Sqn Lancaster ME689
Hptm. Martin Drewes: 28 Stab III./NJG1 Lancaster Saint-Arnoult, 60 km. NW Paris: 3.500 m. 00.45 75 Sqn Lancaster ME689

If that would be the case, then his nighttime tally, indeed, was 21!

I'm still looking for a (portrait) photo of Karl-Heinz Kamp, and his Flugbuch or Leistungsbuch covering his time in the Nachtjagd, if anyone can help me with these I would be most grateful! I would like to use his FB/LB to check all of his Feindflüge/Abschüsse in the Nachtjagd.

Cheers, Theo

[Doug Stankey]

It is apparent that I made a simple transcription error. The "Ju 88 G-10" will be corrected to "Bf 109 G-10 (<< +I)" and this will be reflected in the release of our updated database in April this year. Obviously, JG 300 never used the Ju 88!!

With apologies,
DGS

[Chris Goss]

Theo
I have 2 photos of him-a head and shoulders photo and in a group but when he was a Lt with 3/ZG 76. No joy with FB or LB
Chris

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Chris, Doug, Rasmussen and Theo,
Thank you to both of you for the clarification of the aircraft, as well as the US Fighter Squadron involved on the combats of the 31st December 1944. That would help me quite a lot to dig out the claims, etc....
Theo, me too am looking for a decent picture of this airman....Chris I have seen a picture of this airman on the book of Gebhard Aders (The History of the NJG, etc..). Is that the same picture in the Group? There are very few photographs of this airman indeed...
By the way...Theo...I still owe you an answer for a private message you sent me earlier...I will promiss to do that! Please do accept my appologies (you will understand later).
Am grateful to both of you Gentlemen...
Adriano Silva Baumgartner

[Chris Goss]

I have not seen the Aders photo. Mine was taken in Poland in 1939 when he was with ZG 76