Soviet VVS attack over Austria in early March 1945?

[Kurtl12]

Just hit some reports about a rather small (but interesting) airraid against Wildon in the area south of Graz on March 9th, 1945. Eyewitness claimed to see at least 3 aircraft wearing the red Soviet star as nationality markings while flying really low. They hit the hospital train parked at Wildon train station. One rail car was severly damaged, several others obtained just minor hits. Luckily no human losses. The time of attack is idicated with 11:50 a.m. (probably Austrian local time).

For me the date March 9th seems to be a little to early for Soviet airraids in this area. Altough the explosive detail "red Soviet star" in the report points in a distinct direction...

What's your opinion about this? Anyone who knows more about this airraid?
Thanks for the interest! Regards - Kurtl

[HGabor]

Probably April 9, not March. By the way, eg. 17 VA, 189 ShAD IL-2 formations (615, 707 ShAP) attacked the Prater area in Vienna on April 9 and 10, 1945. (One 615. ShAP IL-2, S/N: 11233, AM-38F engine: 253837, piloted by 2Lt. Guk, with gunner Pinchukov has been shot down at Prater-SE over Vienna.)

Gabor

[Kurtl12]

Sure Gabor, I thought about this. But Vienna is just too far away from the area south of Graz that it could be mixed up. The hospital train located at at train station or marshalling yard would fit but I have my doubts. We've collected a punch of different reports with lot's of Soviet attacks included (most the time assumptions by the witnesses I guess). For example, just a few days later:

March 14th, 1945 - just after midnight (00:30 a.m.) - attack of 2 Soviet aircraft at low level against railway station Kraubath near Leoben, Styria

March 23rd, 1945 - again 3 Soviet low level aircraft attacking rail station Wildon at 10:00a.m. One railway locomotive was destroyd and minor damage at the station itself. Interesting is that there are also reports of USAAF and RAF. The witnesses DID distinguish! I'll keep at it...

Or here on March 27th, 1945 at 09:30 a.m.: 3 - 4 Soviet aircraft drop five 5kg fragmentation bombs at Stanz, Muerztal.

Cheers, Kurt

[HGabor]

Low level attack at midnight sounds suicidal to me... On March 1, 1945 17 VA eg. had 8 long-range Yak-9DD fighters, most of them (if not all) in 288 IAD, 611 IAP. Plus in the spring of 1945, 611 IAP was stationing on the Taszár airbase in Hungary at Lake Balaton-S. From there, lower Austria was in their range for recce. flights of 1-4 planes. By April 1, 1945 their number went down from 8 to 5. On both March 14 and 23, 1945 the biggest air-battles took place still in the Seregélyes and Lake Balaton area. On March 14, 1945 eg. only the 17 VA lost 17 IL-2, 4 La-5, 2 Yak-1, 1 Yak-9 and 8 A-2o Bostons when trying to stop Hitler's last 'Panzer' counter-offensive in WWII at Lake Balaton-SE. Chances are that smaller soviet recce. flights tried to check and challenge the German supply-flow behind the front lines.

Gabor

[Kurtl12]

For me too... So let's think about moolight and rather straigth valley's surrounded by mountains covered by snow (March 1945). True the area is not perfect for low level strafing or recce missions but compare it with the air support of Budapest. They flew at night as well. I think it's not completly impossible. I was forwarding reports from that time. If they are true or not that's what I try to find out.

Let's have a look at the map attached. Assuming their base was Taszár in Hungary they had not more than 240km to fly. From this base Styria is even closer than Lower Austria. I am not much into soviet recce tactics of that time but I know the Yak-9DD fighter still had a single 20mm ShVAK cannon on board...

Kurt

[Kurtl12]

Sorry, here is the map!

[HGabor]

Well, it is an open question. We need to know the AC type first. Soviet Bostons, Pe-2 and Pe-3 recce. planes regularly flew long distance missions over Austria, so maybe them?

Gabor

[Kurtl12]

Here is something more for March 27th, 1945: One soviet aircraft drops 7 fragmentation bombs at Soechau, near Fuerstenfeld, Styria at 01:30hrs at night. The aircraft was coming from the southwest. Major damages at 3 buildings and cemetery. Kurtl

[HGabor]

Unknown case, probably just one of the many, target of opportunity recce. flights by 17 VA Po-2s. (370., 371., 993. NBAP, or 97. GvNBAP)

Gabor

[HGabor]

An Austria related Soviet recce. mission: on February 25, 1945 17 VA, 244 BAD, 861 BAP, 1st squadron A-20 Boston, marked Red '4', piloted by 2Lt. Georgii Ivanovich Lashin flew recce. mission over Western-Hungary and Vienna, Austria area. In Vienna area they photographed 160 trains with about 3500 waggons, 17 airplanes on Vienna-S airfield (11 Ju 52s, 6 Me 110s) and in Vienna's Danube harbor(s) 109 ships, boats, etc. See report.

Gabor