Bf 109 G lost early 1944

[Rabe Anton]

Servus, David et al.!

Regarding the Bf 109G we. 3 + of 7./JG 54 photographed with battle damage following a belly landing, I would like to note the following.

I hold a copy of a manuscript KTB for 7./JG 54 ("Staffelchronik 7./JG 54") and have examined the entry for 8. April 1944. It is fairly detailed, about 8-10 lines long. The only loss mentioned for the day is that of Kurt Ritter, gef. near
Dedelsdorf, as noted by other readers previously. Overall, the "Chronik" is not consistent in recording losses, especially lesser and minor ones, but in this case I do get the feeling that had an airplane from the Staffel bellylanded on this day, it would have been mentioned. So perhaps we should be looking at 7./JG 54 losses for other days in February and March? Sadly, we know there were a great many in this period. Because there seemingly was only a materiel loss with the we. 3 + , however, there may well be no surviving documentation for the nice photos that David has put up on the Falcon's Hangar.

RA