Part Two of Hs 123 eArticle available

[Morten Jessen]

Hej Orwell
My next focus is the book. The second part of the article was an exercise for me to figure out what I was missing, in order to describe the operations during the Second World War. While writing the article a good amount of material was found. The second purpose is indeed - to whet your appetite :0)

I hope you will enjoy the article. Personally I think it provides a good overview of the 'Small Soldier's path from 1939 to 1945, as well as correct some of the much repeated errors over the past many years.

Have a nice weekend
Morten
Air War Publications

[Maciej Góralczyk]

A nice article indeed. Hope the book will follow soon.

[knusel]

Good evening dear Mr Jessen,

congratulations to this new publication. I've purchased my pdf as soon as I learned about it. Scrolling through the pages makes me look forward to working it through word by word.

You may have heard that Georg Brütting in "Das waren die deutschen Stuka-Asse 1939-1945" (1995) wrote on page 98 that Alfred Druschel scored seven kills with the Hs 123.
We know from Johannes Mathews that Druschel's seven kills were scored on 22. and 23. June 1941.
Your publication mentions Druschel in connection with the Bf109.
Can we safely exclude that Brütting is right ?

Have a happy and successful new year 2019,

Michael

[robert]

Hi,

a small remark to 1.9.39:
Uffz. Arthur Kracht did not fire his aircraft. After being disarmed by 18-year old Polish resident he was handed over to Polish soldiers of a tank company and taken to Tybla. Then he was transported to Wielun (he was almost lynched there) his wounds were dressed and he was sent to hospital in Lodz. There at least 4 photos showing his aircraft in quite good condition with German soldiers.

Regards

Robert

[Morten Jessen]

Dear Maciej, Michael and Robert
Thanks for your comments and remarks.

@ Michael; Druschel may have scored multiple Soviet aircraft in the Hs123 on 22 and 23 June 1941, but I would assume they would be aircraft on the ground. I find aerial claims to be unlikely, until confirmation from primary sources see the light of day.
He may have flown the Hs123 on occasion and on those dates, as it seemed the pilots could be "borrowed" by some of the other Staffeln. On the other hand, as a Staffel leader I would expect him to fly and lead his Bf 109 unit into battle. What is the source of Johannes Mathews information?

@Robert; Thanks for your input. Could it be possible that he tried to set the cockpit on fire, but did not succeed? Although, the head rest looks pretty clean and undamaged on the photos I have.

For further updates about both the Hs 123 book project and Andrew's Air War Courland book project, please either subscribe to our newsletter or visit our blog once in a while.

Cheers
Morten

[robert]

Hi Morten,

he had had no time because almost after force-landing he was "captured" by this young boy. According to the doctor, who dressed his wounds his hand was almost shot away so the pain must be very big so I don`t expect that he was thinking about his plane.

Regards

Robert

[Morten Jessen]

... good point :0)

Cheers
Morten

[knusel]

Originally Posted by Morten Jessen

...
@ Michael; Druschel may have scored multiple Soviet aircraft in the Hs123 on 22 and 23 June 1941, but I would assume they would be aircraft on the ground. I find aerial claims to be unlikely, until confirmation from primary sources see the light of day.
He may have flown the Hs123 on occasion and on those dates, as it seemed the pilots could be "borrowed" by some of the other Staffeln. On the other hand, as a Staffel leader I would expect him to fly and lead his Bf 109 unit into battle. What is the source of Johannes Mathews information?
...

Good evening dear Morten,

I'm happy that you don't exclude that Druschel flew a Hs123 on these days because the possibility of a Hs123 ace is so much more appealing than another Bf109 ace.
Johannes Mathews has written this gigantic opus with John Foreman:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Luftwaffe-A.../dp/1906592187
They used primary sources, principally the listings on microfilms discovered at Bundesarchiv Militararchiv in Germany and various unit war diaries.
I think the data provided in these volume is the best ever offered.

Have a good start into a successful new week,

Michael