Pilots & emergency parachuting

[Dennis Peschier]

Austrian Erich Hondt wrecked quite a few planes. I don’t know how many times he actually used his parachute. I don’t know if this is the full list.
9-5-43, 6./JG.11, crash-landed
19-5-43, 6./JG.11, crashed, yellow 11
11-6-43, 6./JG.11, crash-landed Borkum
12-6-43, 6./JG.11, crash-landed in a swamp.
28-7-43, Jasta Helgoland, crash-landed, Meppen, Me109T, 7781
29-7-43, Jasta Helgoland, crash-landed, Helgoland, Me109T 7746
1-10-43, 2./JG.11, crashed, Bellingwolde, Fw190 410266
28-5-44, 3./JG.11, crash-landed, Rothenburg Fw190
31-5-44, 3./JG11, crash-landed, Rothenburg
25-8-44, 3./JG.11, crashed, St. Quentin Fw190 171678.

He is known to exaggerate in the letter that he left, but it remains an impressive list. On 1-10-43 he led his staffel in a frontal attack on a B-17 formation. He was hit by return fire and crashed head on into a B-17. Both aircraft lost a wing and went down. Erich Hond found himself with his hands useless due to injuries, his cockpit was on fire and the canopy was jammed shut.
When his aircraft explode he was thrown clear. He could not remember opening his parachute, but somehow it did. He floated down and landed in a Dutch field.
Due to his severe burn he was in hospital until early 1944.
On 28-5-44 he flew his next mission. Quickly he realised that he had not regained his all of his flying skills. He again collided. This time with a B-24.
I think he spent some time somewhere in a convalescent home after that.

If anyone can fill in some of the werknummern, feel free!

Dennis