Mysterious Landing of Ju 52 in Moscow on 15.04.41?

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

At the Central Airport in Moscow there was a mysterious landing of Junkres Ju 52. The plane was flying over Russia along the route: Bialystok, Minsk, Smolensk, Moscow. This landing in Moscow caused a huge stir among the Russians, it was connected with the fact that the flight has demonstrated significant deficiencies throughout the system PWO (Soviet Air Defence). There have been responsible for the resignation of the whole mess of people.

The flight of this aircraft was not accidental. It was probably a courier plane (???). On board it could be transported a letter that Adolf Hitler wanted to urgently deliver directly and quickly to Stalin. In its content at the end of Hitler's letter he apologizes Stalin for the way he had delivered that letter. The letter had a date of April 14, 1941. So it is possible.


The history of flight is as well known in the Soviet materials - it is certain that such an aircraft arrived in Moscow on 15 April 1941

1. Does anyone know anything about this flight from the German side?

2. From what units could be an airplane?

Regards,
mw

[Lennart Andersson]

Not an answer to your question but there were several Junkers Ju 52/3ms in Moscow around this time:
- Aeroflot operated the two Ju 52/3ms that were captured in Estonia in 1940
- Four of ten Ju 52/3ms ordered from Germany were being delivered to Moscow
- I suppose that DLH Ju 52/3ms were used on the Berlin-Moscow route operated jointly by Aeroflot and DLH

Lennart Andersson

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Thanks for the information
I think it could be rather a Ju 52, which had began flight from Berlin (as a special curier plane with Hitler's leter to Stalin), maybe he was from DLH? I do not know, and I am just wonder that such strange mission is so unknown? This landing had also great impact on Soviet VVS and PWO forces in 1941.

Regards
mw

[Seaplanes]

UDSSR had placed an order with Junkers for delivery of 10 Ju 52/3m transports on 18. February 1941. At least three (including W.Nr. 7180) were delivered, may be even one more, before the remaining 6 or 7 aircraft were impressed by RLM. It is most likely one of these aircraft that landed in Moscow on 15. April 1941.

[Mirek Wawrzynski]

Rather it was not Ju 52 from this part. The plane had been refuelled and the crew got "green light" to flight back to Germany.

Anyway the changes of internal procedures in PWO units were soon implemented. In May 1941 one passanger German "C-47" (this is exactly thn name of civil plane) was force landed on 43. IAD airfield - in Bialorussia. The order to force landing by 3 I-16s was given personaly by gen. Zaharov, when he saw enemy plane above his head. Of course it could not be a C-47 (military version of DC-3), but most probably it was a DC-2, which several were used by Germans.

This "C-47" landing was a big political problem, and the crew after consultation Zaharov with marshal Timoszenko get permission to fly futher (to explain all in Minsk airfield).

Regards
mw