Strange 4./ZG1 claim 12.Mar.43

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

12.Mar.43 at 07:03 Gefr. Püter (4./ZG1) has claimed MiG-3 in Qu.76642 (Kuban area). II./ZG1 was in the Ukraine at the moment.
Whether the location was 70642 or 79642 really or some II./ZG1 crews were in Kuban area?

Best regards,
Andrey

[Evgeny Velichko]

Andrey - what is the source?

10.(Nachtjagd)/ZG1 was formed using pilots from 4./ZG1.

10./ZG1 iperated over Kuban at that time.

Could it be some mistake in documents? Some outdated info? It is often seen in LW claims microfilms, for example.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Evgeny, it is simply from well-known Tony Wood's list. Maybe typo or illegible text in the source, if the appearance of 4./ZG1's planes over Kuban on 12.Mar43 was impossible.

The main question is where the error - in L.Qu or in the designation of unit.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

Assuming Tony's Woods micro film is exactly the same as mine i.e torn duplicated from original, then the only numerals visible are the 42 the middle numeral is a 0, 6 or 8. Claimers name was Hubert Püber(in my opinion) a bordfunker. Yes, there is a rare tear in the micro film right at the grid reference point!

The grid references are duplicated anyway i.e 11111, 12111 e.t.c, 18111, 19111, 11111 can only be wrong by vast distances. Same duplication North to South as East to West.

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Thank you, Johannes!

Therefore most probably that unit was 4./ZG1 and location was Qu.70 (35 Ost) or 79 (34 Ost).

Kind Regards,
Andrey

[Johannes]

Hi Andrey

There is no mistake in Tony Woods entry. It was 4./ZG 1, only error(if such) is he has written everything as it appears....perhaps he guessimated the grid reference as being near the one in the line above. However it's not typed out and he has put down the name the handwriting appear to represent, whereas I would have checked 4./ZG 1's losses to check for names that look like the one on the micro film, and checked it against the rank i.e it is a Gefreiter, and such a low rank would suggest a bordfunker anyway. If the claim had been for a bomber, then I might have suspected it was a very low ranking pilot!

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Originally Posted by Johannes

It was 4./ZG 1

Thank you, Johannes!

It seems no Ostfront losses among ZG1 crews with surname Püber or Püter. Maybe in the West.

Kind Regards,
Andrey

[Evgeny Velichko]

No corresponding loss, untill reforming of II./ZG1 into III./JG76 in july 1944. Must be, that if he survived to that summer 1944, after conversion to Bf109's, all gunners went out from unit.

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

Loss is on 21st February 1944 but with 1./ZG 26, assume pilot was Erich Brüdigam as lost same day. For some reason(now forgotten) I thought that this Uffz Hubert Puber was the guy! Anyway it was 4./ZG 1's last claim over Russia.

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Thank you, gentlemen!