Me 410 top ace

[Chris Goss]

The problem has been over the years the various sources interpreted different ways due to handwriting I believe. I have Uffz Johann Treicke claiming a Stirling 11 Aug 43 with 16/KG 2. He then appears again 22 Apr 43 as Fw Johann Trenke with 6/KG 51-one record had him as Fw Dormsten! Trenke's last kill was from what I can see 3 Jul 44. He was awarded the DKiG. As to Ottrin/Ottren/Ostrzic, his name crops up with Stab II/KG 51 on 13 June and 6/KG 51 on 17 June 1944 and yes, it was possible for gunners to claim separately from pilots-prime example if Fw Gustav Delp, BF to Lt Wolfgang Wenning. Not sure where the christian name came from-he never got the DKiG or Pokal

[Stig Jarlevik]

Nice Chris

Now we have a Christian name, Johann, to the Treicke as well, which was also the Christian name of Trenke. Looks, after all, like we do have a match!

I fail however to see how anyone can interpret his name into Dormsten

With regard to the handwriting, yes I agree, and (this time I state tongue in cheek) it seems most individuals were studying for a post war career in the medical profession...

Cheers
Stig

[RT]

Trenke still with 6.KG51 i march 1945 as Fw

Rémi

[knusel]

The Tratt kill list of Luftwaffe.cz
http://www.luftwaffe.cz/tratt.html
implies that re rather achieved at least 10 kills in the Me 410.
The 12 Viermot kills attributed to Dassow imply a higher Western front kill share than just 9.
How certain is the Johann Trenke/Josef Ottrin association ?

Michael

[Leo Etgen]

Hi Michael

I was lucky enough to come across the full Tratt victory list and nine of his claims were recorded as Gruppenkommandeur of II./ZG 26 flying the Me 410. As for Dassow it is true that he is generally credited with 12 four-engined bombers but as far as I know his complete victory list is unknown and therefore it is quite possible that this number is in error. Hopefully in the future new documentation will come to light and we will have complete and accurate information but for now the state of things is rather fragmentary. It is an unfortunate fact that many records are lost to us and thus what we know about these fellows is quite piecemeal.

Horrido!

Leo