Was Günther Schack shot down on 16 Jan 1944 ?

[Laurent Rizzotti]

If the answer is yes, I would like to have the details.

Thanks in advance

[Ota Jirovec]

Hello Laurent,

The answer to your question is definitely yes, at least according to Ernst Obermeaier´s "Die Ritterkreuzträger der Luftwaffe 1939-1945, Volume 1", that unfortunately mentioned the only details: it was the second time Schack was forced to bale out due to aerial combat (the following bale-outs took place on 17.9.1944, 6.10.1944 and 12.4.1945). I am afraid that this lack of details is the usual problem of missing loss data for 1944. Also, once Schack was shot down and forced to perform a belly-landing by USAAF P-51s - this occurred on 7.8.1944 during operation Frantic V and the pilot, who shot his down on this occassion was 1st Lt Hollis R. Nowlin of 364th Fighter Squadron, 357th Fighter Group USAAF. Not exactly an answer to your original question, but I hope it might be useful for you.

Ota

[piters]

Hello!

A question about Nowlin vs. Schack combat: when and where it has taken place? Undoubtedly it was during Frantic V mission, but 357th FG history (Merle C. Olmsted) says it was at 7 August 1944 over Poland and some other sources that it was at 6 August (see http://www.luftwaffe.cz/schack.html) over East Prussia (Merle C. Olmsted quoted in a book "Yanks over Europe").
Both versions are probable: Frantic V squadrons at the 1st day of the operation crossed over East Prussia just after bombing Rahmel, and at the 2nd day they were over southern Poland (mission to Trzebinia).
Schack's base near Warsaw was closer to the path of 8th AF planes from 6, than these from 7 August (although it was within range of 109s).
If there were Schack belly-landing site known, it would clarify many...

Someone has any information about this event?

Best regards,
Piotr