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

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks John

OK, a Bf 110 E it is then.
Since we have to live with a "myriad" of possible clerk errors I am still puzzled about the WNr. Such mistakes are indeed understandable but never-the-less quite irritating (for us that is.... ) I have made quite a few over the years myself, hrmm.....

Don't know how serious research you yourself have made with regard to the Wnr details, but perhaps you or someone else can
a) verify my details about the 80% damage in 1941
b) and perhaps even give a clue of the real two aircraft hiding behind one and the same number.

Cheers
Stig

[John Vasco]

The W. Nr. stays with the airframe, wherever it goes.

80% damaged might mean a lot of components were considered written off by the unit (Wings, engines,) but if enough remained to repair and refit, it would then go out to a front-line unit again with the same W. Nr.. From what I have discovered, very rarely do they go back to the same unit - simply sent to units needing replacements.

So it could have initially have been with a different unit, then damaged, then issued to ZG 1.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks again John

That was very interesting. Didn't know that!
It means quite a few aircraft listed in the past in fact could have survived being listed as "destroyed" from 60% and up.

I should try and keep that in mind

Cheers
Stig

[John Vasco]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Thanks again John

That was very interesting. Didn't know that!
It means quite a few aircraft listed in the past in fact could have survived being listed as "destroyed" from 60% and up.

I should try and keep that in mind

Cheers
Stig

Hence why you see some aircraft carrying emblems of two totally different units.

I recall seeing a 109 in the Balkans/Med area (1941) with two completely different unit emblems. I used a photo in one of my books of a Bf 110 E with II./ZG 76, and the rear of the sharksmouth emblem is partially covering an Erprobungsgruppe 210 emblem.

Obviously, the repair facilities were not interested in removing emblems - all they seemed to do was repair the aircraft to front-line status, check the next-in-line unit needing the type, and off it goes!