Lt. Brandenberger (III./NJG 1)

[Chris Goss]

We call it a senior moment Marcel-we are all prone to it!

[retje]

It happens to me too. I could remember us talking about the correct spelling of his name but I couldn't remember what exactly either.

Regards,
René

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Chris and René,

Thanks for your compassion and thanks to your help it now all makes sense to me:

It was Lt. Schreckenberger (III./NJG 1 or 3./NJG 2 according to his Personalakte) - not Brandenberger nor Bogensperger - who claimed a Mosquito in the night of 12/13th February 1944 with a Me410 which the III./NJG 1 had some on their inventory.

Though his claim was not confirmed (and never was acknowledged at all) Schreckenberger was promptly invited to visit Gen. Beppo Schmidt (HQ I./Jagdkorps in Zeist/Holland) on 20th February 1944. He must have received orders to form a small Erprobungskommando (410) in Venlo, because Schreckenberger came to Venlo on 1th March 1944.

Next day he was joined by Oblt. Henseler who was transferred from the II./NJG 1 to Erprobungskommando Schreckenberger (according to the KTB II./NJG 1) or... 1./NJG 1 (says the KTB I./NJG 1).

This and other info from Henseler's flightlog suggests that the incomplete 1./NJG 1 acted also as Erprobungskommando 410, because its few Me410's had the Verbandskennzeichen of the 1./NJG 1.

There is still to do some more research but at least we now know how an unconfirmed claim with a Me410 against a Mosquito lead to the establishment of Erpr.Kdo. 410 if that ever was an officially existing Luftwaffe unit.

Thanks guys, much appreciated ! Warm greetings, Marcel