Hptm Richard Leppla III./JG 51

[Chris Goss]

Some records say he was wounded in combat 2 Aug 42 and then injured 7 Aug 42 when he collided with a Ju 52 on take off. Others just say the latter. Can anyone confirm please?

[Rottler]

Hello Chris,

loss table JFV 9/II and Gen.Qu. loss return 4 Aug 1942 item 63:
2 Aug 1942 Stab III./JG 51 Hptm Richard Leppla GrKdr verw Luftkampf, Notlandung 10 km west of Tschertolino, 50%. Bf 109 F-2 8144.

Loss table JFV 9/I:
4 Jan 1942 Stab III./JG 51 Hptm Richard Leppla GrKdr verl Zusammenstoß, Start mit Ju 52, Juchnow, 100%. Bf 109 F-2 8185.

Gen.Qu. loss return 10 Jan 1942 item 47:
4.1. III./JG 51 Feindflug Jochnow-Süd, Zusammenstoß beim Start mit Ju 52 der K.Gr.z.b.V. 800. Bf 109 F-2 8185 100%. Hptm Leppla verl.

Regards
Leo

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Leo. Trying to steer away from Eastern Front, I do not have this book but as I suspected, there was confusion with the dates. Could you confirm therefore his victories just for 1942?

[Rottler]

Hello Chris,

in the tables of JFV 9/I and 9/II the following victories of Hptm Leppla are listed:
15.12.41 47
04.02.42 48
10.02.42 49
18.02.42 50-52
03.03.42 53
05.03.42 54
08.03.42 55
12.03.42 56
18.03.42 57
01.04.42 58
05.04.42 59
10.05.42 60
28.05.42 61
02.07.42 62
09.07.42 63
10.07.42 64
13.07.42 65
01.08.42 67 and 68.

Regards
Leo

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Leo-all helps

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

Some records say he was wounded in combat 2 Aug 42 and then injured 7 Aug 42 when he collided with a Ju 52 on take off. Others just say the latter. Can anyone confirm please?

according to Aders/Held page 111;

Leppla suffered an eye injury in combat on 2 Aug 1942. He remained at the front in combat but as a result of his impaired vision he collided with a landing Ju 52 on 7 August..after convalescence he went to JFS 5 in December..

bizarre.. if he was seriously injured in early January would he have resumed his 'scoring run' less than one month later ..and if so, what was he doing between August and December...

[Chris Goss]

Precisely!