Lt. Brandenberger (III./NJG 1)

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello all,

In the Tony Wood files a claim is listed as follows:

Night: 12-13. February 1944
JaFü I. Jagdkorps/Lfl. Reich:
12.02.44 Ltn. Brandenberger [sic] III./NJG 1 Mosquito  bei Mönchen-Gladbach: 8.800 m. 21.05 Film C. 2025/I VNE: ASM

As Tony has misread names of pilots and/or locations sometimes, I looked in the NCA volume of Theo Boiten who thinks that it was Lt. Bogensberger, which indeed was a III./NJG 1 pilot but...

so far I haven't traced this claim in film C.2025/I and though I am still going through the online files of the Militärarchiv Freiburg, I haven't come across Brandenberger/Bogensberger so far and getting square eyes

Perhaps someone has found him already and can provide me with the correct microfilm reference number ? The reason for my interest is, that the (declined) claim was flown with a Me410.

Many thanks in advance ! Marcel

[retje]

Hello Marcel,

we have written about Lt Bogensberger or Bogensperger before.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showth...t=Bogensberger



RL_5_1460_0170

Regards

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello René,

I am an early victim of Korsakov I presume
Thanks (again!) for your invaluable help, somehow I completely have forgotten my earlier attempt to clearify the same challenge. I take a napkin and start to weep

Best regards and warm greetings from Venlo,

Marcel

[Chris Goss]

We call it a senior moment Marcel-we are all prone to it!

[retje]

It happens to me too. I could remember us talking about the correct spelling of his name but I couldn't remember what exactly either.

Regards,
René

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Chris and René,

Thanks for your compassion and thanks to your help it now all makes sense to me:

It was Lt. Schreckenberger (III./NJG 1 or 3./NJG 2 according to his Personalakte) - not Brandenberger nor Bogensperger - who claimed a Mosquito in the night of 12/13th February 1944 with a Me410 which the III./NJG 1 had some on their inventory.

Though his claim was not confirmed (and never was acknowledged at all) Schreckenberger was promptly invited to visit Gen. Beppo Schmidt (HQ I./Jagdkorps in Zeist/Holland) on 20th February 1944. He must have received orders to form a small Erprobungskommando (410) in Venlo, because Schreckenberger came to Venlo on 1th March 1944.

Next day he was joined by Oblt. Henseler who was transferred from the II./NJG 1 to Erprobungskommando Schreckenberger (according to the KTB II./NJG 1) or... 1./NJG 1 (says the KTB I./NJG 1).

This and other info from Henseler's flightlog suggests that the incomplete 1./NJG 1 acted also as Erprobungskommando 410, because its few Me410's had the Verbandskennzeichen of the 1./NJG 1.

There is still to do some more research but at least we now know how an unconfirmed claim with a Me410 against a Mosquito lead to the establishment of Erpr.Kdo. 410 if that ever was an officially existing Luftwaffe unit.

Thanks guys, much appreciated ! Warm greetings, Marcel

[retje]

Marcel,

good research!

I had another doubt this afternoon reading Brandenberger or Bogensperger. Lt. Schreckenberger fits much better, of course. If I find anything else I'll let you know.

Regards,
René

[TigerTimon]

According to the Flugbuch of Bettaque, on 18 April 1944, he flew a 'Höhenflug' (altitude flight) in the Me 410 G9+CH where he and pilot Baake flew to a height of 10,000 metres. I presume to test performance on altitudes where Mosquito bombers operated...

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello,

I know of this flight, there are several more in other flight logs, from the 6 Me410's in the inventory of the I./NJG 1 I have 5 different Verbandskennzeichen. It is tempting and perhaps likely to assume that the few A-1's in the III./NJG 1 and I./NJG 1 were equipped with the GM-1 system to boost the performance so that the Me410 could reach altitudes at 10.000 meters.

As I never have seen photo's of a Me410 with air-to-air radar (Lichtenstein B/C or SN-2) one wonders whether these Me410's were equipped with other searching devices like a Spanner. Must still check the Crashed Enemy Aircraft Reports whether ever a Me410 with radar or another device was found.

The research continues... best regards, Marcel

[ad astra]

I have a I./NJG1 Gruppengefechtsstand report copy for May 1st, 1944. It lists 16 crews ready for operations that night. The 1. Staffel line-up includes one Me410 with Fw. Heinzelmann FF, Uffz. Horling BF, one Me410 with Uffz. Frankenhauser FF, Uffz. Biank BF, one Ju88 (Uffz. Oppermann FF) and one He219 (Oblt. Henseler FF).



The reports has a column next to the aircraft type with the digit 2 applied to all aircraft with the exception of the two Me410. A contemporary comment states that "2" stands for SN-2. I cannot tell whether this has any substance in other official documents. If correct it would confirm that at least two Me410 were not equipped with FuG220.



Kind regards,
Mathias