Erwin Fischer recon missions

[PMoz99]

Does anyone have information on how many missions Erwin Fischer (1912-1996 Aufkl.Gr.121, NAGr.102, Aufkl.Ge.103) flew during the war?
Apart from the Ju88D-1, is there any definite information of which aircraft he flew?
Thanks
Peter

[Teresa Maria]

This is all I have found in DeZeng and Stankey's 'Luftwaffe Officer Career Summaries':

FISCHER, Erwin. (DOB: 14.08.12 in Dresden-Bühlau/Sachsen). (RE, DKG). 1935 entered the
Luftwaffe. 09.39 pilot in 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121. 12(21?).04.41 Oblt., awarded Ritterkreuz, pilot in 1.
(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121. 26.02.42 awarded DKG, 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121. 01.03.42 promo to Hptm.
01.04.42 appt (or only trf to?) Staka 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121. 07.42 Hptm., appt Staka 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121
(to 25.02.43). 07.02.43 Hptm., Staka 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121, flew the Staffel's 3,000 sortie. 10.02.43
awarded Eichenlaub (No. 191). 25.02.43 Hptm., trf from 1.(F)/Aufkl.Gr. 121 to NAG 102. 01.04.43
ordered to Luftattaché Budapest for temporary duty. 30.04.43 Hptm., appt Kdr. I./NAG 102 (to
15.06.43). 16.06.43 (26.06.43?) Hptm., appt Kommodore NAG 102 (to 04.02.45) and concurrently
appt Kdt. Fl.Pl.Kdo. A 36/III (Jüterbog-Damm). 01.05.44 promo to Maj. 05.02.45 Maj., appt
Kommodore Aufkl.Geschwader 103 (to 04.03.45). 05.45 British POW. †10.12.96.

[Teresa Maria]

No information about his aircraft or the number of missions... :-(

[PMoz99]

Thanks. I have that information from Michael Holm's website, but I find it hard to believe that is all the information available for this EL recipient.
Peter

[Andy Mitchell]

Peter,

In Walter Waiss' index of Flugbuch on page 160 there is the following entry

Fischer, Erwin Stab/NAG 102, Stab/AG 103, Ar 234 196 Flug 1 am 05.05.1943 – Flug 196 am 21.03.1945

So this indicates 196 Total Flights(Flügegesamt) not combat sorties in this period.

Hope thatthis helps a little.

[PMoz99]

Thanks Andy.
I'm still trying to make sense of the details - it's fine up to Aufkl.Ge.103, but what's the Ar234, and does the info following that bear reference to the Ar234 reference? Do you have any views on that?
As far as I am aware, Fischer never had anything to do with an Ar234. But then, towards the end of the war, many things were either undocumented or documents were destroyed.
In any case, he spent pretty much the whole war in Recon units and had the Eichenlaub by 2/43, suggesting exceptional performance or a lot of missions even by that time, and there were still over 2 more years after that ........
Peter

[Adriano Baumgartner]

Andy Mitchell and all,

I guess he may have flown some 300+ sorties. The Flugbuch you do mention starts in 05 May 1943, so may be his 2nd Flugbuch, because he flew earlier in combat, from September 1939...

[Andy Mitchell]

Guys,

Adriano - totally agree - this is likely to be one of several Flugbuchs. Unfortunately, the Waiss index only mentions this one - and, as indicated in my earlier post, the count is for flights not combat sorties.

No idea re Ar 234

But just to add to the confusion I have the following from another collectors index for what appears to be the same Flugbuch

Fischer Erwin RKT NAG102 Kdr,-ST,AG103-II,Erg,AG 1 1-196 050543-280345

[edwest2]

For what it's worth.


http://www.aircrewremembered.com/Kra...=fischer+erwin





Ed

[PMoz99]

Adriano, my guess would be he flew well over 500 combat missions in total. I know it can be dangerous to apply a rule-of-thumb, but having looked at many profiles of bomber and recon pilots, over a long operational period the pilots seemed to fly on average a mission every 3 days. Some days they may fly several, and others not at all due to weather etc. Emil Badorrek with just under 600 combat missions is a recon pilot example, and I think Fischer's career started earlier and finished later, so ..........
Also, in most cases, any multi-engine a/c pilot with the EL had flown over 500 COMBAT missions, and vice-versa (ground and night attack was closer to 1000). There are not many EL holders with less missions, and they usually did something special to earn it (eg Baumbach, Jope).
Anyway, at this time it's all just guesswork and supposition.
Maybe one day something more will surface, but it's getting a bit late for that now.
Cheers
Peter