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  #1  
Old 9th August 2010, 17:33
Dennis N Dennis N is offline
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Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Hello all,

I'm looking for more information on the Luftwaffe pilot Martin Lacha who served in I/JG. I'm not very familiar with Jagdgeschwader, Staffels etc. etc. But I'm researching him because he was the one who claimed to have shot down Col. Arman Peterson and I'm writing a biography of him. I'm a bit puzzled with various kind of information on the internet in which Staffel he flew in and what plane it was, Fw or Bf on 1 July 1943. If anyone could help me, please!

Thanks,
Dennis
The Netherlands
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Old 9th August 2010, 18:14
Laurent Rizzotti Laurent Rizzotti is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Fw Martin Lacha served on 1 July 1941 in 3./JG 1, 3rd Staffel of Jagdgeschwader 1. 3./JG 1 was a part of I. Gruppe of JG 1 (I./JG 1) that was using Fw 190 A since April 1943.

Staffel = roughly squadron
Gruppe = group (3-4 Staffel)
Geschwader = wing (3-5 Groups)

Lacha claimed two victories in the battle against P-47 and was the only German pilot to claim. Peterson was the only American loss. Other American pilots claimed 3 Fw 190 shot down, 2 probables and 2 damaged. I have not the JG 1 losses at hand.

Here is the list of Lacha's victories during the war, extracted from Tony Wood files (format of a line: date, rank, name, victory number, unit, type claimed, claim location & altitude, claim time, source):

02.05.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 1 2./JG 1 Spitfire £ S/32/5/3: 800 m. [S.W. Vlissinghen] 19.40 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr. –
22.06.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 2 3./JG 1 B-17 £ JP 4: 7.000 m. [Havixbeck] 09.47 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. –
01.07.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 3 3./JG 1 P-47 £ JH-6.8: 7.000 m. [N.E. Ouddorp] 16.04 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. –
01.07.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 4 3./JG 1 P-47 £ JJ-4.3: 5.500 m [Oostvorne NE Schiedam] 16.08 Film C. 2027/I Anerk: Nr. -
26.07.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 5 2./JG 1 B-17 HSS £ - - Reference: JG 1/11 Lists f. 636
17.08.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 6 3./JG 1 B-17 £ 05 Ost S/NM-8: 6.000 m. S. Maastricht 17.00 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.11
19.08.43 Fw. Martin Lacha: 7 3./JG 1 B-17 £ 05 Ost S/JJ 4: 5.000 m. [Schiedam] 19.30 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.205
08.10.43 Ltn. Martin Lacha: 8 3./JG 1 B-17 £ FS-7: 5.000 m. [S. Wagenfeld] 15.19 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr. –
11.11.43 Ltn. Martin Lacha: 9 2./JG 1 P-47 £ HQ-7: 5.500 m. [Altenberg N.W. Münster] 14.10 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.43
11.12.43 Ltn. Martin Lacha: 10 2./JG 1 B-17 £ - - Reference: JG 1/11 Lists f. 641
16.12.43 Ltn. Martin Lacha: 11 1./JG 1 B-17 £ DK 5: 7.000 m. [off De Koog: Texel] 14.04 Film C. 2031/II Anerk: Nr.11
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Old 9th August 2010, 22:13
Dennis N Dennis N is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Hi Laurent,

Thanks for you info! I saw some decals for Lacha's Bf 109 ( http://cgi.ebay.nl/Me109E-G-Augsburg...-/120592185631 ) so that's what raised my eyebrows. Perhaps he flew on a Bf earlier?

A member of our foundation is also making a diorama of the dogfight between Peterson and Lacha. Did Lacha's Staffel had a special paintscheme or had a complete Jagdgeschwader one paint scheme?

Thanks again!
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Old 12th August 2010, 14:53
Dennis N Dennis N is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

By the way, his list can be reduced from 11 claims to 10. On 1 July he probably claimed the same P-47 twice! First of all there was only one P-47 lost that day. The other one he claims at Ouddorp is Peterson. He bailed out there and his plane flew on and crashed near Oostvoorne. So he probably shot Peterson near Ouddorp, made a manouvre and saw a P-47 near Oostvoorne, shot again and claimed.
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Old 13th August 2010, 20:27
grvreijn grvreijn is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Dennis,

I agree with your conclusion that Lacha shot Petersons P-47 twice. Indeed only 1 P47 was lost.

Lacha flew Bf109 before transferring to FW190.

Lacha, Martin Lt 11 11/JG-1 (7/42), 2/JG-1 (5/43), 3/JG-1 (10/43), 1/JG-1 (12/44) Bf 109E-3 "Blk 4" & Fw 190A-3 "Blk 7" in11/JG-1, Fw 190A-4 (3/JG-1), A-7 Wk#430162 (12/43) EP, EK 1& 2 (10/23/43), Wound Badge.

Injured in a crash on 25 August, 1942 in an Fw 190A-4 Werk # 606, while in 11/JG-1. Known to crash his A-7 at Menaldum Holland on 16 December, 1943, cause and pilot injuries, if any, unknown (DeSwart). One of a few surviving JG-1 pilots.

Rombout
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Old 14th August 2010, 14:25
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Andreas Brekken Andreas Brekken is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Hi.

Just out of general curiosity - any other allied aircraft damaged on this date?

Regards,
Andreas B
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Old 14th August 2010, 21:01
grvreijn grvreijn is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

1 P-47 of 78 FG – Lt. Hunt seem to have returned with FLAK damage.

Other allied lossed that day over the Dutch coast that day:
43-07-01 1217 North sea (5 km NW Ostende) Typhoon IB R8946 3 Sqdn F/O A.T.Little B
43-07-01 1200 North sea (25 km W Hoek van Holland) Typhoon IB DN589 3 Sqdn P/O C.G.Benjamin B
43-07-01 1215 North sea (W Hoek van Holland) Typhoon IB EJ970 3 Sqdn Sgt F.Lawrence B

This is the same area were Peterson was lost but approx. 4 hr. earlier.

Fw 190A-5 (Wnr 410198) of 2./JG 1 crashed west of Dutch islands in the North sea killing Uffz. Karl Walz
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Old 30th September 2010, 14:25
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

A-7 at Menaldum Holland on 16 December, 1943, cause and pilot injuries, if any, unknown (DeSwart

Yes known

Schwer verletz ,Sprenggeschoss Lacher martin ltn 53132/8-f FSA unterarm amputiert 020720-Hohenens Dornbirn


Rémi
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Old 1st October 2010, 02:44
Doug Stankey Doug Stankey is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Looking in the Kracker Archive, we find:

Lacha, Martin. - Lt. - 11 victories - 11./JG-1 (7/42), 2./JG-1 (5/43), 3./JG-1 (10/43), 1./JG-1 (12/44)Bf 109E-3 "Blk 4" & Fw 190A-3 "Blk 7" & Fw 190A-4 Wk# 0606 (50% dam 8/25/42) in11/JG-1, Fw 190A-4 (3/JG-1), A-7 Wk#430162 (12/43)EP, EK 1& 2 (10/23/43), Wound Badge, Fighter Operational ClaspOne known victory, his 1st, a Spitfire, on 2 May, 1943, southwest of Vlissingen. His 2nd, a B-17 at Havixbeck on 22 June, 1943. His 3rd was over Col. Arman "Pete" Peterson CO (KIA) of the 78FG, flying a P-47, on 1 July, 1943, over Goeree, Holland. The P-47 crashed NE of Ouddorp. Flugbuch (7/43 to 12/44). His 4th, same day, another P-47 at Oostvorne, NE of Schiedam. His 5th, a B-17 (HSS) on 26 July, 1943. His 6th, a B-17 S of Maastricht on 17 August, 1943. His 7th, a B-17 at Schiedam on 19 August, 1943. His 8th, a B-17 S of Wagenfeld on 8 October, 1943. His 9th, a P-47 at Altenberg, NW of Münster on 11 November, 1943. His 10th, a B-17 on 11 December, 1943. His 11th, a B-17 off De Koog, Texel on 16 December, 1943. Injured in a crash on 25 August, 1942 in an Fw 190A-4 Werk # 606, while in 11/JG-1. Known to crash his A-7 at Menaldum Holland on 16 December, 1943, cause and pilot injuries, if any, unknown (DeSwart). One of a few surviving JG-1 pilots.

That's all I can find. Good Luck!

DGS
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Old 1st October 2010, 08:04
Johannes Johannes is offline
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Re: Information about Ltn. Martin Lacha

Hi guys

Lacha's claims appear both on the normal type Micro films and on another section listing all claims for an individual, and in both cases those for 26th July 1943 and 11th December 1943 are ommitted, so either both were never confirmed, or he never made such claims, therefore his total would be nine confirmed victories in the west.

Regards

Johannes
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