Manual experts needed - BMW801 Handbook

[harrison987]

Hi guys,

I picked up what was supposed to be an original BMW801 Handbook/Reference Card. Everything on appears to be 100%....the 3 different types of handwriting, the writing styles, the age, the wear on the edges, and the paper.

However there are a few things that are bothering me.

It reads on the cover:

?? Gotz (owners name)

Flugzeugfuhrer
1. Jagdgruppe
I.53/I ?? 747
1943
Ausgabe Mai 1941

That all seems fine...but THEN, in another handwriting is reads:

I Jagdgeschwader 53
Pick Ass


Where my concerns are:

JG53 as far as I know never used the Fw190...so why would they have a fairly used handbook. "Pik As" is spelled "Pick Ass" (I supposed post-war someone could have written that)...

AND

If you look at the last photo, there is a publisher of "R. Oldenbourg" There is also what "appears" to be a date (?) of 2000/IV./III (March 4, 2000)???

My questions are this:

IS THAT IN-FACT a publishing date? or is it a stock number? R. Oldenbourg has been publishing for 150 years, and did so wartime.

Everything else as far as the materials, age, and condition indicate 100% original (I have many original handbooks and manuals).

Can anyone confirm??

Thanks!

Mike

[Horst Weber]

Good evening harrison987 !

Indeed, the correct German spelling of Pik Ass is not Pick Ass. But under some circumstances, one could write it like it is written, since there is nearly no difference in the pronouciation "Pik Ass" or "Pick Ass", particulary in war-time military organisations, where people of all German provinces were mixed together. So, I would not make a big deal concerning this spelling.

In my experience, all official German military print-products always had the printing factory mentioned. Here it is the printing company Oldenbourg in Munich, which is not the publisher, but the company which finally prints the product. It makes sence in this case, since it is in Munich as well as the manufacturer of the engine.

The 2000/IV./III. is for a date-term in Germany completely unusual.
Noone, who grew up with the German language would ever use such a "monster", to tell one other a date. If it wasn't imprinted postwar, this must be an internal serial of BMW, RLM or the printing company.

A happy new year and hope this helps,

All the best !

Horst Weber

[harrison987]

Thanks Horst!

For sure that info helps!!

What are your thoughts of a JG53 unit having it? As far as I know JG53 did not use the Fw190...

[Horst Weber]

Good morning Harrison987 !

Well, this is a very good question to the Jagdwaffe experts. I don't know a combat equipment of I./JG 53 with FW 190 and BMW-engines. But nothing is impossible. Perhaps, a testing-phase of the aircraft and the BMW-801 in this organsisation was conducted, but then cancelled.

Surely, each Gruppe of JG 53 had some liasion aircraft, such as Fi 156,
Ju 52, probably He 111 or Ju 88. Some series of Ju-88C-3 were equipped with BMW-801 radial-engines. So, perhaps, this manual found the way into the stocks of JG 53.

But in this particular question, experts must show up and give a clear answer.

All the best !

Horst Weber

[yogybär]

Maybe the owner was just a technically interested guy who heard of that "superbird" Fw-190? Pretty well possible from my point of view.

PS: There was a Oberleutnant Franz Götz in 9./JG53 in 1941, maybe this is "your guy".