Bär's Me 262 at Innsbruck-Hotting?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Karoband

When Bär was appointed Kommandeur of III./EJG 2 on 13 Feb. 1945 (01.01.45?) [de Zeng & Stankey], he had Me 262 A-1a W.Nr. 110559 numbered "red 13" as his personal aircraft. Since III./EJG 2 was a training unit the number was placed on the fuselage ahead of the cockpit.

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This is from page 197 of RL 7-6/25 in the online Bundesarchiv. It is page two of the strength return reported by Lw. Kdo West and included by Gen. Kdo. VIII Flg. Korps at 18:00 hours on 23 April 1945. III./EJG 2 seems to have become "J.G. Baer" with 16 Me 262s and 9 pilots. As a fighter unit, its Kennzeichen would be placed forward of the Balkenkreuz on the rear fuselage. "J.G. Baer" appears again in the strength return of 24 April (RL 7-6/25, p. 372) but is missing in that of 25 April (RL 7-6/25, p. 373) and appears to have been absorbed by "J.G. 44"[sic]. Indeed, in the pilots list of JV 44 from 27 April (RL 7-6/26, pp. 299-300), ten of them are from III./EJG 2 including Bär.

best regards,

Jim

I don't know whether the status of III./EJG 2 had anything to do with where the number was placed, or whether the nose section was simply the largest available space on a new type of aircraft. The practice began with Erprobungskommando 262 and continued after it was renamed III./EJG 2. The same thing was done by 1./NAGr. 1 on its Me 262s and the reconnaissance machines found at Lechfeld (see my article in Axis Wings Vol. 2, October 2024).

I suspect that "JG Baer" was never an official name, but more a case of the people compiling the strength figures not knowing what they should call it.

In RL 2-II/389 the last recorded III./EJG 2 operation is on 19 April while RL 7-6/25 (page 0314) has III./EJG 2 "being brought up" to Lechfeld on 23 April and JV 44 to München-Riem.

In Bundesarchiv RL 7-6/26 (page 0103) there is a telegram from Luftflotte 6 to Lw.Kdo. West dated 26 April 1945:

Report immediately by telegram on the basis of which orders III./(Erg.)JG 2 was disbanded. If orders for disbandment were given before the command was taken over by Lfl.Kdo. 6, report whether OKL consent was given.

Another telegram the same day (same file, pages 0080–0084) gives locations of Lfl. 6 units and JV 44 is included but III./EJG 2 isn't.

A list of Lfl. 6 unit locations for 7 May 1945 (RL 2-VI/203, page 0016) has JV 44 at Salzburg -Maxglan but no mention of III./EJG 2. On page 0018, all the Gruppen of EJG 2 except the III. are shown as disbanded on 25 April. Page 0070 of the same file "Overview of Erganzungs Units of the Flying Formations" as of 19 Mai 1945 gives the location of III./EJG 2 as "unknown". My reading of all this is that JV 44 swallowed up III./EJG 2, apparently without proper authorisation, possibly on 25 April. JV 44 evacuated Riem on the 29th.

Finally, white 1 of III./EJG 2 was also found at Innsbruck. It had its number on the nose and a narrow yellow band aft of the cockpit.