JG5 Landing Accidents, Apr 43

[taitbb]

Was meandering through the loss lists on luftwaffe.no, and noticed that in a 3 day period between II and III gruppe, they lost 14 aircraft to accidents, and a further 2 the next 2 days. Plus, over the next week a further 10. Mostly F's but a couple of G's.

Based on the strength reports I see, II Gruppe lost almost half their compliment of 109's, and III Gruppe 1/3.

I am assuming weather and snow contributed, but that is a lot of planes to lose in such a short time to non-combat operations.

Any further details/information on those days?
Maybe they wanted new G2's so plowed their machines into snowbanks? :-)



Date Unit Aircraft Wkno Location %Dmg Comment Personal
19.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 13344 Alakurtti flyplass 65% Take off accident No personal injury
19.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7606 Petsamo flyplass 20% Take off accident No personal injury
19.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7439 Petsamo flyplass 70% Take off accident No personal injury
19.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7092 Petsamo flyplass 20% Take off accident No personal injury
19.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 8659 Petsamo flyplass 55% Take off accident No personal injury
19.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7632 Petsamo flyplass 15% Take off accident No personal injury
21.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 10157 Alakurtti flyplass 55% Take off accident No personal injury
21.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 9239 Alakurtti flyplass 40% Take off accident No personal injury
21.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7230 Alakurtti flyplass 70% Take off accident No personal injury
21.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 10123 Alakurtti flyplass 15% Take off accident No personal injury
21.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 12615 Alakurtti flyplass 50% Take off accident No personal injury
22.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 13129 Petsamo flyplass 20% Take off accident No personal injury
22.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 10150 Petsamo flyplass 25% Take off accident No personal injury
22.04.43 III./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7540 Petsamo flyplass 20% Take off accident No personal injury
23.04.43 4./J.G.5 Bf 109G-2 13777 Alakurtti flyplass 100 Take off accident Uffz. Herbert Lorenz (F) Killed
25.04.43 II./J.G.5 Bf 109F-4 7499 Alakurtti flyplass 60% Take off accident No personal injury

[Jim P.]

About 10 of those were actually landing accidents.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

I have done the statistics on the JG 5 aircraft losses for most of the lifespan of the unit.

For II. Gruppe, the totals according to losses reported were that altogether the unit losses were 47,2% due to enemy inflicted damage (including unknown causes ' missing' which were 10,7% of those 47,2%). The 47,2% losses due to enemy inflicted damage were divided into 39,4% total losses (thus a damage assesment above 50%), 7,8% damaged (thus a damage assesment below or equal to 50%).

For the non-combat related losses, making up for 52,7% of the total losses, 30,2% were aircraft on an operational sortie, while 22,6% were on non-operational sorties.

The data is based on analysis of 421 losses reported from 24.01.1942 through 02.11.1944.

For III. Gruppe, the totals according to losses reported were that altogether the unit losses were 38,3% due to enemy inflicted damage (including unknown causes ' missing' which were 18,6% of those 38,3%).

The 38,3% losses due to enemy inflicted damage were divided into 35,1% total losses (thus a damage assesment above 50%), 3,2% damaged (thus a damage assesment below or equal to 50%).

For the non-combat related losses, making up for 61,8% of the total losses, 36,1% were aircraft on an operational sortie, while 25,6% were on non-operational sorties.

The data is based on analysis of 285 losses reported from 09.05.1942 through 29.01.1945.

I know that not all figures add up totally due to rounding of the percentages.

April 1943 were not that off with regards to the total numbers for II. Gruppe, 33% of the aircraft losses being combat related, and 77% non-combat related.

For III. Gruppe this month obviously took it's toll mostly due to the condition of the airfields from which the unit operated, with only 1 of the 14 losses sustained by the unit reported as combat related (and even that one was a missing case).

Regards,
Andreas B

[Andreas Brekken]

With regards to landing accidents...

Look at the landing gear of a Bf 109 - and imagine landing that on a snow or ice covered surface...

Regards,
Andreas B