Bär's Me 262 at Innsbruck-Hotting?

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Karoband

Hi Nick,

I concur that III./EJG 2 was assimilated without authorization by JV 44 and that Bär considered himself as directly subordinate to Galland.

best regards,

Jim

None of the surviving General Quartiermeister documents I've seen records the disbandment of III./EJG 2 but a tentative timeline can be pieced together from other sources:

23 April:
Luftflotte 6 reports separate strength figures for "J.G. Baer" and "J.G. 44".

24 April:
During the afternoon, Ofw. Nitschke of 1.(F)/100 flies an operation from Lechfeld (III./EJG 2's base) but lands at Riem.
Also that afternoon, workshop staff are ordered to leave Lechfeld for Erding after Me 262s and jet engines are evacuated.
That evening Luftflotte 6 reports a combined strength for "J.G. Baer" and "J.G. 44", including 35 pupils.

25 April:
Luftflotte 6 gives an evening strength figure for "J.G. 44" only.

26 April:
Luftflotte 6 asks Luftwaffenkommando West for an immediate report on who authorised III./EJG 2's disbandment.
US 12th Armored Division seizes bridge over the River Wertach at Hiltenfingen during the evening (just over 10 km from Lechfeld).

27 April:
At 0430 (GMT+2) US units ordered to reconnoitre crossing points over the River Lech, arriving about 0830.
Since Lechfeld airfield was west of the river, presumably it was captured that morning.

[Karoband]

Hi Nick,

Thank you. That is truly a lot of detective work and it is appreciated. If I read your time line correctly, III./EJG 2 was absorbed on the 24th. For what it is worth, from Dan O'Connell, Me 262 The Production Log,, (Classic, 2005), p.217:

"25/04 Fw. Otto Kammerdiener of 10./EJG 2 transferred an EZ-42 equipped Me 262, "white 1" from Lechfeld to Riem between 20.25 and 20.40 for use by JV 44. Possibly W.Nr. 170047. [aau]" aau= Communication with Karl Rentschler

Three comments:
1. According to Robert Forsyth, Jagdverband 44 Squadron of Experten, (Osprey, 2008), p.28, Kammerdiener joined JV 44 on 11 March as an instructor from Fluglehrerschule der Luftwaffe.
2. The list of JV 44's pilots confirms Kammerdiener's immediately previous unit was "FLG.L.SCH. D. LW.".
3. It is likely Galland or Bär sent JV 44 pilots to Lechfeld to fetch intact Me 262 fighters of III./EJG 2, leaving the recce versions.

best regards,

Jim

[Revi16]

White 1 with the EZ-42, Innsbruck-Hotting.

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Karoband

Hi Nick,

Thank you. That is truly a lot of detective work and it is appreciated. If I read your time line correctly, III./EJG 2 was absorbed on the 24th. For what it is worth, from Dan O'Connell, Me 262 The Production Log,, (Classic, 2005), p.217:

"25/04 Fw. Otto Kammerdiener of 10./EJG 2 transferred an EZ-42 equipped Me 262, "white 1" from Lechfeld to Riem between 20.25 and 20.40 for use by JV 44. Possibly W.Nr. 170047. [aau]" aau= Communication with Karl Rentschler

Three comments:
1. According to Robert Forsyth, Jagdverband 44 Squadron of Experten, (Osprey, 2008), p.28, Kammerdiener joined JV 44 on 11 March as an instructor from Fluglehrerschule der Luftwaffe.
2. The list of JV 44's pilots confirms Kammerdiener's immediately previous unit was "FLG.L.SCH. D. LW.".
3. It is likely Galland or Bär sent JV 44 pilots to Lechfeld to fetch intact Me 262 fighters of III./EJG 2, leaving the recce versions.

best regards,

Jim

Thanks. I think it's fairly certain that the machines evacuated from Lechfeld were all in München-Riem by nightfall on the 24th (sunset in Lechfeld on 24 April would be at 20.20 German Summer Time) and were either absorbed then or the next day.

Here's a couple more things I should have included in my chronology:

26 April:
The list of aircraft with JV 44 includes W.Nr. 111718 and 111748, both described as »Ruckführ-Flugzeug Lechfeld« (aircraft brought back from Lechfeld) and W.Nr. 111899 »Lechfeld-Messerschmidt« [sic]

A list of unit locations sent from 7. Jagd.Div. to Luftflotte 6 places JV 44 at Riem but does not mention III./EJG 2.

27 April:
The list of pilots with JV 44 sent to Lfl. 6 by Hptm. Gutowski includes nine from III./EJG 2 and one from II./EJG 2, adding that "JV 44 did not take over any photo-Me 262's".

[Karoband]

Originally Posted by Revi16

White 1 with the EZ-42, Innsbruck-Hotting.

Good eye, Revi16. Thank you!

[Matolion]

No Innsbruck-Hotting, but it was Innsbruck-Reichenau. W.Nr.170047, White 1 landed there by mistake together with W.Nr.500492, White 8. The other Me 262s landed at Innsbruck-Hotting as planned