Information sort on Fw Helmut Lußky - flier with 3.ZG1

[rickback4444]

Hi,

I've come into the possession of a portrait photo of Feldwebel Helmut Lußky who was a pilot in ZG1 and II./NJG 100.

I know that he served over England, Russia, Hungary and Austria.

I know that he has some confirmed claims but unsure how many?

I am aware he survived the war, was in American captivity and was still alive in 1993.

Can anyone provide further information on him please.

Thanks

Rick

[Theo Boiten]

Hi Rick -I've checked but he had no (confirmed/unconfirmed) victories as a night fighter.

Cheers, Theo

[rickback4444]

Hi Theo,

Reading one of your books as we speak!

What about 10./ZG 1 - was this Staffel a night fighter squadron - it looks like he claimed an Il-2 on 25.02.43?

Rick

[John Vasco]

From left: Helmut Lußky, Heinz Ludwig (Bordfunker 3./ZG 1), Karl Stoff (Bordfunker 1./Erpr. Gr. 210 - PoW 17 November 1940) and me at the Wespentreffen in 1986. On the exteme right are Willi Falkenroth (with grey hair)(ground mechanic with 1./ZG 1, 1./Erpr. Gr. 210, 1./SKG 210, 1./ZG 1) and Manfred Theves (Staka with I./ZG 1).



More to come when I go through my stuff.

[John Vasco]

1st July 1942
3./ZG 1
Fw. Helmut Lußky (P)
Uffz. Karl-Fritz Schröder
Bf 110 F-2
S9+KL
4096
Shot down by Russian tank. Force-landed 500 m. behind enemy lines at Babenkoff. Both crewmen returned to unit.

Karl told me about the incident in full. Their Bf 110 was hit in the wing by a shell from a tank, and after that, it flew 'wing heavy' Lußky used all his strength on the control column and rudder bar to keep the Bf 110 level as they headed towards German lines. He then told Karl to strap in tightly, as when the Bf 110 rached a certain point above the ground he would let go of all the controls and let it 'flip over'. He estimated that once it had flipped and returned to almost level flight, it would be so close to the ground that he could wrestle with the controls to get it down safely, right-way up. His estimation was spot on, and he both them both down safely, and they headed the few hundred yards back to the German lines. I will never forget what Karl said to me after he recounted the incident. "That man saved my life!", almost with tears in his eyes.

[John Vasco]

Hemut LUßky attended the 'Wespentreffen' from the mid-1980s onwards. He lived in East Germany, but being a pensioner, he was allowed to travel to the West. DUring the 1980s, he would not speak one word to me at the Wespentreffen. When I asked Karl-Fritz Schröder why, he replied that the people of East Germany were afraid to speak to any Westerners (aside from those from West Germany) in case word got back to the East German authorities and they and their family were arrested.

East and West Germany ceased to exist in late-1989 and became a single Germany. At the 1990 Wespentreffen, Helmut was a changed man with the shackles of fear off. He was quite happy to chat to me, and be photographed. A lovely man, and by all acounts from speaking to others at the Treffen about him, a superb pilot.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello,

about 2 claims (Pe-2) of Fw Lußky on 12.May.43. According to Soviet report, 5 Pe-2 (40.PBAP - naval aviation) were attacked by 2 Bf110 after the bombing of two German MTBs. Pe-2 (st.sgt Mazhurin) was downed, navigator st.sgt Garbuz became a POW, but escaped later, the rest of crew KIA.
2nd claim is zero. Maybe Lußky attacked the same plane two times (Mazhurin left the formation with damaged port motor).

Best regards,
Andrey

[Theo Boiten]

Originally Posted by rickback4444

Hi Theo,

Reading one of your books as we speak!

What about 10./ZG 1 - was this Staffel a night fighter squadron - it looks like he claimed an Il-2 on 25.02.43?

Rick

Hi Rick -I presume this claim was achieved in daylight and not at night?

Cheers, Theo

[Stig Jarlevik]

Originally Posted by John Vasco

1st July 1942
3./ZG 1
Fw. Helmut Lußky (P)
Uffz. Karl-Fritz Schröder
Bf 110 F-2
S9+KL
4096
Shot down by Russian tank. Force-landed 500 m. behind enemy lines at Babenkoff. Both crewmen returned to unit.

John

I have a problem with the WNr 4096 (or rather two).
According to Mankau this was a Bf 110 E-1
Secondly I have it listed as 80% damaged with 6./ZG 26 on 5 Nov 1941 when it force landed at Dugino after being damaged in combat.

Was the aircraft upgraded to an F-2?
Presumably one WNr is wrong, either yours or the one I list, but which one?

Cheers
Stig

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

John

I have a problem with the WNr 4096 (or rather two).
According to Mankau this was a Bf 110 E-1
Secondly I have it listed as 80% damaged with 6./ZG 26 on 5 Nov 1941 when it force landed at Dugino after being damaged in combat.

Was the aircraft upgraded to an F-2?
Presumably one WNr is wrong, either yours or the one I list, but which one?

Cheers
Stig

Stig,
The information I published in my 'Sting of the Luftwaffe' book was taken from the Luftwaffe Quartermaster's returns that I examined at the IWM in London. The book was published in 2001, before the Petrick/Mankau book, which, since I got my copy, I have used as a reference point for W. Nr & variants.

I agree with you that 4096 is an E-1. Furthermore, looking at the photos of S9+KL on page 56 of my book, my simple conclusion is that it is a Bf 110 E.

I therefore happily stand corrected on what I published in 2001.

One possible reason for the mix-up is that SKG 210 & ZG 1 had been operating Bf 110 Es from the start of the Russian campaign, and only took on the 'F' variant towards the end of May 1942. So, the groundcrew then would be sending up the line details of two different types of Bf 110s lost/damaged. I therefore think the error occurred at Staffel 'pen-pushers' level.

Thanks for your input - appreciated.