New data about the fate of Lt. Smiatek (4./JG52)

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

According to Barbas and JFV authors, Horst Smiatek's fate on 4.6.43 looks like:

Barbas: Luftkampf, FF FSA über See, Moldawanskoje, Pl.Qu.75223
JFV authors: Luftkampf 3 km N Moldawanskoje, Absturz über See, Pl.Qu.75223, FSA 18:20, Pl.Qu.75231.

Despite small disparities, the point is the same: after a dogfight the pilot has baled out over sea (or lake?) and has lost his life.
Pl.Qu.75223 and 75231 are close together but it is a firm land without sea or a lake, so it is uncertain point.

Have just found two records about the event in question in reports of the German 97.Jg.Div.: "18.45 Uhr Notlandung einer Me109 NW Moldawanskoje (in Lw. Flakabt. report "zwischen Moldawanskoje und Russkoje", it is the same place). Pilot, Lt. Smiatek, leicht verwundet, wurde zum H.V.Platz Gladkowskaja gebracht."

So, Smiatek made a forced landing, was alive (slightly wounded) at least until his departure to division's dressing-station in Gladkowskaja, ~10 km from the landing place.

Is it a known info? Strange disparities with the "official" version.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Frans A]

Andrey,
Smiatek was KIA on 4.6.43. See volksbund.de

Frans A

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello Frans,

I know it. But according to reports of 97.JD and Lw FlakAbt. which has cooperated with 97.JD, he was alive and slightly wounded only after the forced landing.

Maybe
a) his wounds wasn't so slight as it seemed initially, or
b) he was KIA during the Russian night air raids at night 4/5.Jun43, or
c) he fell victim of the road accident during a transportation to the division's dressing-station.

His Bf109 has landed in the 97.JD sector so the reports were from the eye-witnesses. And they sent him to the Gladkowskaja. And he mentioned with his surname - not a common thing in the army's document. So no doubts about his presence.

It seems the info that he has baled out over sea is incorrect.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Andreas Brekken]

Hello.

I guess there would be a NVM for him available - and hopefully the text in it can clarify what really happened.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Charles Bavarois]

Gentlemen,

NVM is:
3 km N Moldawanskoje, Pl.Q. 75 231.

"Im Luftkampf abgeschossen, tot am H.V. Platz 2/Mozart in Podgornyj eingeliefert (gefallen)"
roughly translated like
"shot down in combat; arrived dead at Main Dressing Station 2/codename "Mozart" at Podgornyj, killed in action".
Smiatek was burried at the "Heldenfriedhof Mozart" at Podgornyj.

HTH

Carl

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Thank you, Charles!

So 97.JD reports are close to the truth.

Before that I was puzzled because in the both proper Soviet claims (Lt. Kalugin, 42.GIAP and Lt Lukin, 88.IAP) nothing about the baled out enemy, all the more over sea.

Is the exact time mentioned in the NVM?

Best regards,
Andrey

[Charles Bavarois]

Andrey,

NVM only has starting time at 18:10 hrs (pres. German time, AFAIK Red Army and Luftwaffe were using different time-models)

Carl

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Thank you, Carl!

18:10 = 19:10 msk for the June 1943.
Hence the time of the landing (18:45 in 97.JD report) in agreement with the take-off time.

It is interesting what a source of the info about the bailout over sea.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello all,

Smiatek's Bf109 WNr 19745 have founded 2 km N Moldawanskoje, on 7-m depth.
Pilot certainly bailed out, so 97.JD report in the part about Notlandung is incorrect.
And "Absturz über See" is wrong absolutely.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Andreas Brekken]

Hello, Andrey

Interesting news - hope the wreckage can be photographed.

Regards,
Andreas B