Do 335 flight by Schnaufer on 1st March 1945

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Good night to all.
I am searching more information about the Flight made by Major Heinz-Wolfgang Schaufer on 1st March 1945 at Güntersloh on a Dornier Do 335 single seat fighter.
Could someone or does someone know the Werknummer or codes of this machine? I heard the Dornier engineers were also present, as well as Dornier test pilots. Anyone heard about that and could add more information? ( names of engineers, or test pilots )?
Yours
Adriano

[Wim]

Hello,

Were did you get the info from that Schnaufer flew a Do 335 on 1st March 1945?
In the logbook of Schnaufer is noted that he flew a Do 335, number or code unknown, on the 24 February 1945 and again on the 25 February 1945. On both flights it was a two-seater, the second crewmember was his 1.Wart Ullrich (24 Feb.) and a certain Dobenschutz (25 Feb). Schnaufer took off from Gütersloh and landed there also on both flights, although it was only a matter of minutes that he flew the Do 335.
And I can only conclude that it was the Do 335 - V 10 in which Schnaufer flew. Fritz Rumpelhardt remembered that this Do 335 was transferred to I./NJG 3 in the vicinity of Hamburg. Is this correct? I do not know.
Since 1999, I have been researching the career of Schnaufer, a new book about this research has been published (in Flemish/Dutch). Fot further info see at www.heinzschnaufer.be

All the best,

Wim

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello Wim! Thanks for answering and adding a lot of interesting information about Schaufer´s flight on the Do 335. The information I got came from a report from Hauptmann Hans Krause ( Kommandeur I/NJG 4 ) on his participation during Operation Gisela. On his own account he remembers that he was called by Schnauffer on 1st March 1945 and that he was due to carry a Dornier Do 335 flight ( single seater ) as well as a test on the FuG 280 Kiel. From his own words, he flew after Schnaufer, taking off from Gütersloh, as you correctly mentions. They both flew around the base for about only 30 minutes. Krause says that he found the aircraft fantastic, although it was unsuited for Zahme Sau tactics, for lacking a second man and further radar/radio instalation. This is why I asked about 1st March 1945. I do not know IF this is the correct date. I am basing my information on the own words and account of Hptm Krause. A famous HISTORIAN and researcher is writing about and does have the logbooks of Krause. I had to check with him IF this was the correct date. Very nice to hear that another book on Schnaufer will be published. Wish you good luck and success. I will try to comunicate with that UK Historian and ask him about Krause´s logbooks as well. If I had more information I will be only glad to share with you. Sincerely yours Adriano

[Stig Jarlevik]

All

According to the book Dornier 335 Arrow (Monogram) Fritz Rumpelhardt is stated to have said that Schnaufer crashed the A-1 WNr 240113 at Gütersloh. This aeroplane was later captured in a damaged state. No date is quoted.

Cheers
Stig

[Peter D Evans]

...but according to "Dornier Do335 Pfeil" by Smith & Creek [pp85, Classic 2006]

"One story that is definitely wrong, possibly instigated by Lt.Fritz Rumplehardt, radio operator to the night-fighter ace Wolfgang Schnaufer, is that the young ace damaged the Do335 in a heavy landing at Gutersloh"

Kind regards

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[Wim]

Hello Adriano,

Hptm Krause's logbook states that on the 1st March 1945 he was in Vechta were he arrived on the 28th February. Only on the evening (1843 hours) of the 1st March he came back to Gütersloh. No doubt that David P. Williams can confirm this.
It is well possible that Krause remembered the flight of Schnaufer in the Do 335 of the 25th February. Krause took off that morning in Gütersloh at 0745 hours, for testing Ju 88 3C+BC, but by that time Schnaufer was already back on the ground as he landed the Do 335 at 0742 hours that same morning.
Fritz Rumpelhardt never stated that Schnaufer crashed a Do 335, perhaps this was lost somewhere in the translation.
All the best,

Wim

[Stig Jarlevik]

Peter
Lovely! The same authors deny their own story 10 years later...

Wim
No idea what Fritz said or did not say. All I did was quoting from the book stated. The way the authors wrote it, it sounded like they had interviewed Rumpelhardt at the time. But since they could not spell his name right in 1997 and not 10 years later, their reliabillity is a bit dubious. If it is a translation it must be a very bad one if a translator interpret things totally the opposite way. And why would Rumpelhardt say that Schanufer did NOT crash any Do 335 at all, unless it was talked about?

Would be interesting to know who damaged the 335 in question? Maybe the one who started the rumours...

Cheers
Stig

[Peter D Evans]

Hey there Stig...

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Lovely! The same authors deny their own story 10 years later... All I did was quoting from the book stated. The way the authors wrote it, it sounded like they had interviewed Rumpelhardt at the time. But since they could not spell his name right in 1997 and not 10 years later, their reliabillity is a bit dubious.

Of course, the latest Classic book would usually give the authors the chance to update info and amend mistakes. However, from a conversation with one of the authors of the Monogram work, he told me that they had very little to do with the work even though his name appeared on the cover and that his name was used without his permission! He also advised me that the Classic work was a "completely new book on the Do 335 that will destroy much of what has gone before" (his words not mine)

Great discussion anyway... and thanks to Wim for his excellent input too...


Cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB Administrator

[NoNo01]

Hello all,

in his book "Meine Geschichte und die meiner Familie", published in 2002, Rumpelhardt mentions this flight. He clearly states that the english authors must have misinterpreted him.
"Soon after this flight another pilot flew the plane to I./NJG 3 in the hamburg area where he allegedly bellylanded it."
He gives no clear date - only speaks of a Sunday morning.
Also he says that they (Schnaufer and Rumpelhardt) only intended to fly the Do 335 together but this never happend.

Have a nice evening

NoNo

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Hello Stig, Nono and Peter.
I heard about Do 335 V-10 being flown by Luftwaffe night-fighter pilots ( werknummer 230010, factory number CP+UK ), but WHEN the airplane still was a single-seater at Diepensee on 24th January 1945 (?! Did this information matches? I, however, do not know the names of pilots involved ).
From Krause´s account ( It is a pity that my other computer is down, otherwise I would have scanned his own account in German ), it really seems HE FLEW the Dornier 335 for around 30 minutes - After Schnaufer.
I was afraid, and WIM correctly checked, that after more than 50 years ( we all knows how memory play tricks on us, so we can imagine that after so many combat missions and stress, it is fair common to misjudge dates and facts for a former Luftwaffe pilot ) HE could have made a mistake on the date of his flight.
WIM, do you have access to Krause´s logbooks? Could you check IF there is an entry for a Do 335 flight?
The book "Ace of Diamonds" by Hinschlife, mentions the "landing accident" that you already reported here, remembered by Rumplehardt. However, Hans Krause did not mention it on his account. If any kind of misfortune should have happened, and he mentions that there were Dornier engineers and test pilots around - it would be easier to remember than the actual date of his flight on the PFEIL ( IF he ever flew it ).
I also read on Gebhard Aders classic "The history of the German night-fighter force 1917-45" that there was a Special Commission ( whose name I cannot remember by heart now ) detailed to check the most interesting night-fighters, those who had to have absolute priority. I remember reading that the Ju 388 was discarded in favour of the Ar-234 and Do-335. ( Had to check on the book, otherwise I will be writing wrong things here. ). Well, my main doubt: Have KRAUSE flown the Do 335?
The other good question was already asked by NoNo: Who damaged the 240113 machine, as mentioned?