Me 410 top ace

[knusel]

Good evening,

combining everything I found with what I gratefully learned from Johannes and Leo Etgen, the following Me 410 ace ranking seems reasonable to me:

- Johann Trenke 10+3 by his gunners, KG2/KG51
- Rudolf Dassow 8-21, ZG26
- Eduard Tratt 7+3 unconfirmed, ZG26
- Eberhard Baier 7, KG51
- Friedrich Stehle 6-7, ZG1/ZG26
- Wolfgang Wenning 4+2 by his gunner+1 unconfirmed, KG51
- Wilhelm Frös 5, ZG26
- Dietrich Puttfarken 5 or less, KG51
- Wilhelm Büschen 5 or less, ZG26

Now I hope somebody grants me a look on a photo of Trenke and somebody reveals the correct Me 410 score of Dassow.

Cheers from Brandenburg

Michael

[John Manrho]

Luftfahrtverlag Start published a two volume book on RK of the KG. You will find pictures of Trenke in there.

Does anybody have an accurate list of Stehle's victories before he joined JG 6?

Cheers,

John

[knusel]

Hello John,

Stehle's kills before JG6, here you go:
14.10.43 8./ZG 1 B-17
22.2.44 5./ZG 26 B-17
24.2.44 5./ZG 26 B-17
25.2.44 5./ZG 26 B-24
6.3.44 5./ZG 26 B-17
20.6.44 5./ZG 26 B-24
20.6.44 5./ZG 26 B-24

Could you maybe post a Trenke photo ?...Just wanna have a look :-)

Have a nice Friday,

Michael

[Chris Goss]

If you cannot get access to this book, PM me as I have one of him at his RK award ceremony

[knusel]

Hello Chris,

thanks a lot for your help.
Now the only one able to push away Trenke from the Me 410 top ace rank is maybe Rudi Dassow.
Can anybody give an assumption where his missing 13 claim might be suspected ? In ZG1 ? In ZG26 ? In or even in JG6 ?

Cheers,

Michael

[John Manrho]

Michael,

I already stated on the other post that Dassow was killed on 25.08.1944 and had no claims with JG 6.

John

[knusel]

Hmm...are you totally sure ? JG6 was established in July and victory records might be incomplete...

Michael

[Leo Etgen]

Hi Michael

II./ZG 26 was redesignated II./JG 6 on 5 August 1944. The unit did not receive its new Fw 190 A-8 fighters until that month as can be seen on the strength returns: http://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/jagd/biijg6.html The action in which Rudolf Dassow was lost was the first large-scale operation of the Gruppe which had arrived in France only three days before. I would certainly trust anything John Manrho states as it is clear that he is a very serious researcher: http://www.amazon.com/Bodenplatte-Lu.../dp/1902109406 Unfortunately, there is very little that one can state regarding his possibly missing victories as the records appear to be lost to us. Apparently, he was posted to 1./ZG 1 based on the Eastern Front in May 1942 but was transferred to 7./ZG 1 based in North Africa on 27 July 1942. If this is true then his time in Russia was rather brief.

Horrido!

Leo

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by knusel

Hmm...are you totally sure ? JG6 was established in July and victory records might be incomplete...

Michael

All kinds of things *might* be possible but the answers people are giving you are based on research. You are asking yet more questions in return but perhaps it is time for you to share the research that you have done so that people can see if your questions and doubts are reasonable.

[knusel]

Hello Leo,

thanks for your post.
Was his posting to ZG1 in May 1942 the beginning of his frontline service ?
In "Messerschmitt Bf 110: Die Rehabilitierung eines Flugzeuges" Mr Ziefle implies Dassow scored all his kills in the Me 210/410. I wonder if this is true.

Have a nice Sunday,

Michael