Rudolf Artner and the Finnish kill

[Martti Kujansuu]

Text from the Site. Thanks Harri! Still looking for the source of the report though.:

G e f e c h t s b e r i c h t .
(15.Abschuß)

Am 10.10.44 um 14.50 Uhr startete ich mit einer Rotte im Schwarm der 9./J.G.5 zum Alarmstart auf Grund von Flukomeldung (?). urs naan (?) dem Start, um 14.56 Uhr bekamen wir luftkampf mit 6 finnischen Ju 88. Es gelang mir gleich, die zuletzt fliegende von hinten anzugreifen, die im Sturzflug zu entkernen versucht. Nach einigen gutliegenden Feuers tüpen (?) zeigten beide Motoren dunkle rauchfahne. Gleich darauf stürste die feindliche Ju 88 in einer Linkskurve ab. Der Aufachlag erfolgte um 15.00 Uhr 30 km südlich Rovaniemi (Quadrat 26 Ost-Nord UU 2.2.a (?)). Um 15.10 Uhr landete ich wieder auf dem Einsatzhafen.

Zeuge: Fhr. Rolf v. L i l i e n h o f f .

C o m b a t R e p o r t .
(15th Aerial Victory)

I scrambled with an other Rotte (2+2 = Schwarm) of the 9./J.G.5 based on an alarm given by the Air Surveillance (?) on 10th October 1944 at 2.50 p.m. Soon after the take-off, on 2.46 p.m., we got into combat with six Finnish Ju 88s. I succeeded to attack the last plane from behind, the plane attempted nose diving. After a burst of fire dark smoke came out of the both engines. Immediately after that the enemy Ju 88 got in to a left spiral dive. The plane hit the ground 30 kilometers (19 miles) south of Rovaniemi on 3 p.m. o'clock (Quadrat 26 East-North UU 2.2.a (?)). I landed to the air base on 3.10 p.m.

Witness: Fhr. Rolf v. L i l i e n h o f f .

[Tom Semenza]

Martti,

Can you tell me what Artner's rank was at the time of this claim?

Thanks,
Tom

[Martti Kujansuu]

Originally Posted by Tom Semenza

Can you tell me what Artner's rank was at the time of this claim?

Hello Tom!

Feldwebel?

[Tom Semenza]

Thanks, Martti. You put a question mark after "Feldwebel." Does that mean you are not sure?

Tom

[Martti Kujansuu]

Originally Posted by Tom Semenza

Thanks, Martti. You put a question mark after "Feldwebel." Does that mean you are not sure?

I don't have any other source than the Internet right now. He seems to have had the rank of Feldwebel in Early 1945 but he also was a Uffz in Late 1944.

[Brian Bines]

Some info on the Crashes in Lapland Site, search under ''Lapin Lentokonehylyt''