6-1-0 downed in Neuruppin-Teschendorf Area, 20 April 1945

[Steve Brew]

At 19:00 on 20 April 1945, 41 Squadron’s Sqn. Ldr. John Shepherd led seven aircraft on a fighter sweep of the Wittstock-Hagenow area. Approximately half way between Oranienburg and Neuruppin at around 19:30, they sighted 8-10 FW190Ds flying in the opposite direction at 4,000 feet.

The Squadron dived on them, Fg. Off. Eric Gray immediately shooting down one which dived into the ground at Teschendorf. Another 190 got onto Gray’s tail, but in his efforts to shake it, the 190 spun out, hit the ground nearby and blew up. Sqn. Ldr. John Shepherd then attacked another 190, which went down in flames in Kremmen Forest. WO Ian Stevenson then downed another after turning inside it. It went into a shallow dive and blew up on impact in Teschendorf Wood. Flt. Lt. John Wilkinson and Flt. Sgt. Peter Scott then attacked a fifth, which dived into Teschendorf Wood and blew up.

On their return to Celle, they approached Neuruppin Aerodrome at around 20:00, where they spotted several aircraft of varying types in circuit. WO Viv Rossow dived on an Me262, which he shot up. The 262 crash-landed on the aerodrome. Flt. Lt. John Wilkinson then spotted a short-nosed FW190, which he and Sqn. Ldr. Shepherd attacked. This aircraft was also sent down into Teschendorf Wood.

On their return to Celle at 20:40, the Squadron claimed six FW190s destroyed and an Me262 probable. They suffered no loss of their own.

It has been suggested that WO Rossow’s Me262 may have been Obfw. Hermann Buchner of III/JG27 who was landing an Me262A-1b at Neuruppin Aerodrome at the time of the attack. I understand the jet was destroyed in the crash-landing and that the implication, therefore, is that Rossow’s probable was actually a full confirmed victory.

Can anyone confirm this and potentially confirm the identities of the unit, aircraft and pilots of the other aircraft shot down by 41 Squadron on the evening of 20 April 1945?

Thanks
Steve

[Dan O'Connell]

20/04 Ofw. Hermann Buchner of 12./JG 7 was safe after being shot down by a P-51, or a Spitfire flown by Warrant Officer V. J. Rossow of 41 Squadron, while landing at Rothenburg (Rotenburg). The A-1a had been armed with R4M rockets.

(Me 262 The Production Log)

[Steve Brew]

Hi Dan

Thank you very much for his information,which shows that Viv Rossow is indeed suspected of downing Buchner. However, I'm slightly confused as Rotenburg is 227km (141 miles) WNW of Neuruppin - am extreme margin of error, when 41 Squadron was operating just north-NW of Berlin.

Further online research, notably http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=R...20down&f=false , suggests that that Buchner was first attacked by P-51s over Steinhuder Lake, which is assume is the Steinhuder Meer, and then tried to make a landing in Rotenburg.

The Lake is about the same distance WSW from Neuruppin. It strikes me that Neuruppin is too far from these locations for a damaged Me262 to fly, whereas the Lake and Rotenburg are only ca. 70km (44 miles) apart. This leads me to doubt whether Rossow's claim at Neuruppin is one in the same after all... verwirrend...

Thanks for your post, Dan. Whilst it hasn't provided me a definitive answer, per se, it has pretty much persuaded me that Buchner most likely did NOT fall to Rossow.

Regards
Steve

[alan hodgson]

Just to clear this up.
I am married to Viv Rossow's Daughter and we have his log book.
He states in his log book "a long laughable chase with 2-262's one of which was damaged by F,lt Cowell or myself. Both (262's) crash landed."
He was flying a Spitfire XIV.
Does anyone have photios of Viv Rossow from his days in the air force in England or Europe that tey could email to me?regards
Alan