13.(slow.)/JG 52 on July 1st, 1943

[Jochen Prien]

Gentlemen,

I have here a somewhat mysterious loss concerning an accident of Bf 109 G-4, WerkNr. 19 506, of 13.(slow.)/JG 52, which crashed while landing at Anapa airfield, the damage being assessed as 40 %. According to the summary loss-returns this happened while the a/c was returning from a sortie and there is a further report which says that the pilot Uffz. Alexander Zavelberg was killed in this accident, while other loss returns make no mention of a personal loss.

All this happened while 13.(slow.)/JG 52 was in the process of exchanging its first team of pilots against the second, which is said to have arrived at Anapa only on July 2nd, 1943 and thus one day after the accident in question.

I would therefore like to know whether in fact in this accident the pilot was killed and if so whether he belonged to the first or the second set of pilots of the Slovakian Staffel.

As usual, any help will be appreciated.

Regards

Jochen Prien

[Matti Salonen]

I cannot recognize any pilot Alexander Zavelberg. However, there is another guy with same name:
1943-07-22, 10./ZG 1, Bf 110E-2, 2648, 2N+VU, 8 km nördlich Fl.Pl. Bagerowo, Absturz infolge Motorbrand und Aufschlagbrand. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Fw Purrmann, Walter, +
Bordfunker Uffz Zavelberg, Alexander, +

Maybe there is a mix-up of two crashes?

Matti

[Miguel]

Dear Jochen,

just in case it could help I include some lines of "Slovakian and Bulgarian Aces" (Osprey Aces Nr.58):

The first fron team remained at Anapa until its replacement by the second fron team. The final kill claimed by the first team came on 4 July 1943, when at 1008 hrs nadporucik Vladimir Krisko shot down a Pe-2. Three days later the team left for the ten-day train journey back to Slovakia.
The second front team was transported to Anapa by Ju 52/3m on 2 July. They began familiarisation flights before venturing into the combat zone.
First success for the newcomers came on 22 July (Airacobra claimed by rotnik Frantisek Hanovec)"

Alexander Zavelberg does not appear in the text.

Best regards.

Miguel

[Rasmussen]

Alexander Zavelberg isn't mentioned in the book "Slovenské letectvo na východní frontě 1941 - 1943" from Peter Šumichrast and the booklet "Letka 13 v dokumentoch a obrazoch" from Jozef Bystrický/ Peter Šumichrast. I'd think it's solution like Matti Salonen wrote.


Best regards
Rasmussen

[Many Souffan]

Hello.

This Bf 109 G-4/R6 19506 was taken in charge by 13 Letka the 25th march, in Taman Airfield, he was coded yellow 1, the first mission on 28th march, the engine was changed twice on 20.05.43 & 28.05.43.

He was damaged on 10.06.43 during bomb attack in Anapa the 10.06.43, repaired by Slovak machanics.

On 01.07.43, he was damaged by a Slovak pilot (first team) during landing,70% and sent to German repairs

This Yellow 1(19506) was replaced by 14982 (Yellow 1) the 19 july, first combat mission on 23 july (second team)

There are no infos about this German Pilots in Slovak documents.

Hope it will be useful.

Regards

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Matti, Miguel and Jörg,

many thanks for your kind assistance; I think that we can consider the matter as settled - no personal loss of 13.(slow.)/JG 52 on July 1st, 1943, which is all I wanted to know.

Kind regards

Jochen Prien

[Jochen Prien]

Dear Many,

I started my response and thanks to Matti, Miguel and Jörg before dinner, was then called away leaving it incomplete, and finished it afterwards without looking for any new entries in the meantime; so no offence meant at all, quite to the contrary, many thanks to you too.

Kind regards

Jochen

[peter.werry]

According to '13 (slow.)/JG52' by Jiri Rajlich ISBN 9788389450500 the pilot(unknown) in 19506 crash of July 1st was uninjured.
Regards
Peter