II. and III./JG54 nighttime victories Eastern Front summer 1942

[Theo Boiten]

Dear all,

For one of the upcoming volumes in the Nachtjagd Combat Archive series, I am hoping to get more details on matching Soviet losses for a series of II. and III./JG54 nighttime victories over the Eastern Front, operating in the Demyansk and Leningrad areas in the moonlight periods during mid-1942. Who can help me filling in the following claims with matching Soviet losses/incidents:

7-8 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 8 8./JG54 R-5 20 km WSW Tschudowo: 1.200 m. 23.35
Oblt. Günther Fink: 9 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.03
Oblt. Günther Fink: 10 8./JG54 R-5 20 km WNW Tschudowo: 500 m. 00.05
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 21 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.38
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 22 8./JG54 R-5 5 km WSW Spasskaja Polist: 1.500 m. 00.55

10-11 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 11 8./JG54 PS-84 - 23.30
Oblt. Günther Fink: 12 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.35
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 24 8./JG54 PS-84 - 23.36
Oblt. Günther Fink: 13 8./JG54 R-5 10 km NW Spasskaja Polist: 1.300 m. 23.52

11-12 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 14 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.10
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 48 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Mjasnoj Bor 23.35
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 25 8./JG54 SB-2 - 00.01
Oblt. Dr. Werner Feise: 3 Stab III./JG54 SB-2 - 00.10
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 49 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Mjasnoj Bor 00.30

14-15 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 52 Stab III./JG54 R-5 15 km WSW Spasskaja Polist 22.45
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 53 Stab III./JG54 R-5 5 km NW Spasskaja Polist 23.15
Oblt. Günther Fink: 15 8./JG54 PS-84 15 km WNW Spasskaja Polist: 1.500 m. 23.28
Oblt. Waldemar Wübke: 11 9./JG54 R-5 15 km SE Tschudowo: 800 m. 23.30
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 17 8./JG54 R-5 E. Mostki 23.45

15-16 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 54 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschno 23.20
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 55 Stab III./JG54 Jak 1 E. Orelje 23.30
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 56 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschno 24.00
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 57 Stab III./JG54 R-5 Prijutino 00.20

17-18 June 1942
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 26 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.02
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 27 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.25

22-23 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 59 Stab III./JG54 PS-84 Kretschino 23.05
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 60 Stab III./JG54 PS-84 ENE Mjasnoj Bor 23.08
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 18 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.10
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 19 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.15
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 20 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.45
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 21 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.50
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 22 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.55
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 23 8./JG54 R-5 - 24.00

24-25 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 16 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.35

25-26 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 62 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 23.41
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 63 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 23.50
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 24 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.01
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 64 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 00.15
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 65 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 00.17
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 36 5./JG54 U-2 - 00.25
Lt. Wolfgang Kretschmer: 10 5./JG54 U-2 N Kraseja 00.26
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 37 5./JG54 R-5 - 00.40
Oblt. Dr. Werner Feise: 4 Stab III./JG54 MBR-2 Novgorod-Lake Ilmen area 00.44

27-28 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 66 Stab III./JG54 R-5 SW Mostki 23.48
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 67 Stab III./JG54 R-5 S. Mostki 24.00

4-5 July 1942
Hptm. Carl Sattig: 42 5./JG54 U-2 Gortschizy: 1.000 m. 00.30
Hptm. Carl Sattig: 43 5./JG54 U-2 Gortschizy: 1.000 m. 00.57

6-7 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 38 5./JG54 U-2 near Pola station: 1.500 m. 23.52
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 39 5./JG54 TB-3 Kraseja: 1.400 m. 00.05
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 40 5./JG54 U-2 Kraseja: 900 m. 00.32
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 41 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.200 m. 00.56

7-8 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 42 5./JG54 SB-2 Korosten station: 1.600 m. 22.50
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 43 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.200 m. 23.09
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 44 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.100 m. 23.18
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 45 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.100 m. 00.33

19-20 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 49 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 500 m. 00.25
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 50 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.400 m. 01.15

2-3 August 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 51 5./JG54 U-2 nr. Pola, SE Lake Ilmen: 400 m. 01.35
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 52 5./JG54 U-2 nr. Pola, SE Lake Ilmen: 300 m. 01.45
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 53 5./JG54 U-2 NE Ramuschewo: 400 m. 02.00


Cheers and thanks, Theo

[TigerTimon]

Originally Posted by Theo Boiten

Who can help me filling in the following claims with matching Soviet losses/incidents

N. Hector has researched the claims of Hauptmann Reinhard Seiler... Maybe he can help?

Regards, Timon

[kirche]

Originally Posted by Theo Boiten

Dear all,

6-7 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 39 5./JG54 TB-3 Kraseja: 1.400 m. 00.05

Hello Theo,
At the crash site of this aircraft, our team worked.
21 ОТБАЭ 242 НБАД
07/07/42, the crew of TB-3 did not return from the combat mission from the area of ​​Belyaevshchina: the commander of the ship, Leytenant V.F. Drapikovsky; navigator Starshiy Leytenant I.A. Milostivenko; pilot Starshiy Leytenant A.P. Shkryabets; flight mechanic leytenant A.N. Dorofeev; flight engineer starshina F.E. Pecheritsa; gunner-radio operator starshina S.I. Zvorygin; air gunner P.P. Rudasov + 1 air gunner.
The navigator Milostivenko and another gunner (surname not known) returned;
Zvorygin, Drapikovsky, Rudasov were captured
rest died with the plane.
There is a description of the battle by the navigator Milostivenko and in the memoirs of the commander of the second Tb-3 from that mission. The plane was shot down after completing a mission (dropping bombs in the Belyaevshchina-Glebovshchina region). Unlike the first aircraft, he did not have time to go into the clouds and was set on fire by a fighter.
Best regards,
Kirill

[Teresa Maria]

What about Friedrich Rupp's victories? Didn't he have any? Or was he in another group?

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks Kirill for sharing these useful details!

Cheers, Theo

[Nick Hector]

I have already shared most, if not all of these with Theo, but for anyone else who is interested:

7-8 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 8 8./JG54 R-5 20 km WSW Tschudowo: 1.200 m. 23.35
Oblt. Günther Fink: 9 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.03
Oblt. Günther Fink: 10 8./JG54 R-5 20 km WNW Tschudowo: 500 m. 00.05
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 21 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.38
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 22 8./JG54 R-5 5 km WSW Spasskaja Polist: 1.500 m. 00.55
662 NBAP one total loss plus pilot Islam Meinzinovich Khairullin forcelanded after gunner Volodymyr Ivanovich Panasiuk was KIA in the air, 696 NBAP suffered 2 losses and 660 NBAP suffered one loss


10-11 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 11 8./JG54 PS-84 - 23.30
844 OTAP. Legitimate victories, one loss was crew of pilot Serzhant Viktor Vasilievitch Tikhomirov KIA, navigator Lez Aleksandrovich Safonov MIA and gunner Petr Aleksandrovich Skvortsov both KIA
Oblt. Günther Fink: 12 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.35
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 24 8./JG54 PS-84 - 23.36
844 OTAP. Legitimate victories, one loss was crew of pilot Serzhant Viktor Vasilievitch Tikhomirov KIA, navigator Lez Aleksandrovich Safonov MIA and gunner Petr Aleksandrovich Skvortsov both KIA
Oblt. Günther Fink: 13 8./JG54 R-5 10 km NW Spasskaja Polist: 1.300 m. 23.52

11-12 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 14 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.10
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 48 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Mjasnoj Bor 23.35
662 LBAP. Legitimate victories. 2 losses, crew details not known
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 25 8./JG54 SB-2 - 00.01
Oblt. Dr. Werner Feise: 3 Stab III./JG54 SB-2 - 00.10
Acutally DB-3s of 44 BAP. Legitimate losses, crews of Kapitan Nikolai Vasilyevich Zhdanov and crew all KIA plus Lt. Igor Ivanovich Dostavalov and crew all KIA
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 49 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Mjasnoj Bor 00.30

14-15 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 52 Stab III./JG54 R-5 15 km WSW Spasskaja Polist 22.45
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 53 Stab III./JG54 R-5 5 km NW Spasskaja Polist 23.15
Oblt. Günther Fink: 15 8./JG54 PS-84 15 km WNW Spasskaja Polist: 1.500 m. 23.28
Oblt. Waldemar Wübke: 11 9./JG54 R-5 15 km SE Tschudowo: 800 m. 23.30
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 17 8./JG54 R-5 E. Mostki 23.45

15-16 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 54 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschno 23.20
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 55 Stab III./JG54 Jak 1 E. Orelje 23.30
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 56 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschno 24.00
One of these was likely Victor Semenovich Bukovsky of 642 LBAP, KIA by fighters this date. Possibly also 689 NBAP
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 57 Stab III./JG54 R-5 Prijutino 00.20

17-18 June 1942
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 26 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.02
Lt. Hans-Joachim Heyer: 27 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.25
Were these from 844 OTAP (ex-697 NBAP)? Mladshiy Serzhant Alexander Semenovich Arbuzov KIA. Unsure if there was another loss

22-23 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 59 Stab III./JG54 PS-84 Kretschino 23.05
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 60 Stab III./JG54 PS-84 ENE Mjasnoj Bor 23.08
102 and 103 TAPDD, 1 TAD. 3 losses, details pending
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 18 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.10
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 19 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.15
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 20 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.45
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 21 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.50
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 22 8./JG54 R-5 - 23.55
Possibly 696 NBAP? Lt. Stepan Biryukov KIA. An acknowledged victim of Leykauf was St.Lt. Nikolay Vasilyevich Spiridonov of 689 NBAP KIA. Same regiment lost St.Lt. Mikhail Ivanovich Shatalov (AE CO) KIA plus gunner Boris Stepanovich Chepurny also KIA

Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 23 8./JG54 R-5 - 24.00
This was most likely Starshina Dmitry Yegorovich Utochkin and Starshina Alexander Fedorovich Tsypluhin of 716 NBAP, both KIA. Listed as lost in aerial combat near their airfield

24-25 June 1942
Oblt. Günther Fink: 16 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.35

25-26 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 62 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 23.41
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 63 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 23.50
Lt. Erwin Leykauf: 24 8./JG54 R-5 - 00.01
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 64 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 00.15
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 65 Stab III./JG54 R-5 E. Kretschino 00.17
662 NBAP suffered 3 losses and 689 NBAP suffered one. Details pending
660 LBAP lost Kapitan Gennady Alekseyevich Silaev (AE CO) KIA in the course of the night as well

Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 36 5./JG54 U-2 - 00.25
Lt. Wolfgang Kretschmer: 10 5./JG54 U-2 N Kraseja 00.26
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 37 5./JG54 R-5 - 00.40
These three possibly from 645 LBAP, 242 NBAD, 6 VA. Pilots Nikolai Semyonovich Gorbushin, Lev Aleksandrovich Uvarov and Pavel Fedotovich Didenko plus gunners Ivan Sergeyevich Bozhevalov and Yakov Koshkin all KIA.

Oblt. Dr. Werner Feise: 4 Stab III./JG54 MBR-2 Novgorod-Lake Ilmen area 00.44

27-28 June 1942
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 66 Stab III./JG54 R-5 SW Mostki 23.48
Hptm. Reinhard Seiler: 67 Stab III./JG54 R-5 S. Mostki 24.00

4-5 July 1942
Hptm. Carl Sattig: 42 5./JG54 U-2 Gortschizy: 1.000 m. 00.30
Hptm. Carl Sattig: 43 5./JG54 U-2 Gortschizy: 1.000 m. 00.57

6-7 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 38 5./JG54 U-2 near Pola station: 1.500 m. 23.52
707 NBAP. Serzhant Konstantin Mikhailovich Teleshev and Lt. Sergei Kuzmich Pahomkin both KIA

Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 39 5./JG54 TB-3 Kraseja: 1.400 m. 00.05
21 OTBAE. Crew of Lt. Andrey Petrovich Shkryabets/Lt. Drapikovsky failed to return

Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 40 5./JG54 U-2 Kraseja: 900 m. 00.32
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 41 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.200 m. 00.56
One of the U-2 navigators shot down by Bf109 this night was Ml.Lt. Konstantin Ivanovich Terentyev of 597 SAP KIA

7-8 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 42 5./JG54 SB-2 Korosten station: 1.600 m. 22.50
22 BBAP. Details pending

Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 43 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.200 m. 23.09
642 LBAP

Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 44 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.100 m. 23.18
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 45 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.100 m. 00.33
717 NBAP. One of these claims was against Ml.Lt. Alexander Yakovlevich Bobylev and gunner Serzhant and Mikhail Vladimirovich Vorobyov both MIA-KIA

19-20 July 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 49 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 500 m. 00.25
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 50 5./JG54 U-2 Ramuschewo: 1.400 m. 01.15
707 NBAP lost Serzhants Nikolay Ivanovich Monakhov and Aleksandr Mikhailovich Agnisenko;
717 NBAP lost Lt. Vladimir Fedorovich Bogdanov and Boris Mikhailovich Bulavin. All crewmen KIA

2-3 August 1942
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 51 5./JG54 U-2 nr. Pola, SE Lake Ilmen: 400 m. 01.35
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 52 5./JG54 U-2 nr. Pola, SE Lake Ilmen: 300 m. 01.45
Hptm. Joachim Wandel: 53 5./JG54 U-2 NE Ramuschewo: 400 m. 02.00
One of these was from 645 LBAP, Serzhant Maher Aronovich Lando and Ivan Stepanovich Sedikh both KIA, Ramuschewo area this date and another was from 661 LBAP (242 NBAD, 6 VA), details pending

[Theo Boiten]

Thanks Nick for posting these details. As you mention, you had already kindly shared most of these details with me. May I offer a few remarks/comments:

Re. the listing, can you confirm that the 844 OTAP actually lost two (instead of one) PS-84s on 10-11 June 1942?

And a possible addition to the 17-18 June 1942 claims; the 696 NLBAP may also have lost an R-5 on this night. No further details known to me, incl. crash location.

Re. the claims on 22-23 June 1942: I believe that during the course of the night, a total of five Li-2s of the 101, 102 and 103 AP DD (the latter two units being engaged in supply-dropping missions of ammunition, food and medicine to the Second Shock Army) were shot down. I have no info on the area where the Li-2 losses of the 101 AP DD occurred, mayby someone can fill in this gap in my knowledge. Are you sure Nick that the claims by Seiler can not be tied to the 101 AP DD losses and exclusively to the losses of 102 & 103 AP DD?
And do you know how many U-2 losses the 689 NLBAP suffered on this night?
Finally re. the events on 22-23 June 1942, what was the home airfield of the 716 NBAP?

Re. 7-8 July 1942: in addition to Nick's details, who can confirm that the 597 NBAP reported three U-2 rear seat crew members as killed in action on this night?

Cheers, Theo

[kirche]

Originally Posted by Theo Boiten

Thanks Kirill for sharing these useful details!

Cheers, Theo

Theo, details are enough for a big article ...
Drapikovsky Valentin Fedorovich, after being released from captivity, could no longer fly, but grew up in the service of an air traffic controller to the post of head of the traffic service of the Ukrainian territorial administration of the Civil Air Fleet.

If I remember correctly, then in that area there is still the loss of the Baltic Special Air Group GVF - commander Lt. Col. Rasskazov.
BR,
Kirill

[Teresa Maria]

What about my Friedrich? Didn't he have any victories?

[Theo Boiten]

No, 'your Friedrich' did not achieve any nighttime Abschüsse on the Eastern Front.