Ernst Stengl dies

[Johannes]

I am reliably informed that Feldwebel Ernst Stengl has died this Summer. By his own account he claimed seventeen victories, six of which are preserved on the Micro Films, first five with 8./JG52, which became 11./JG52, where he got his sixth, all as an Unteroffizier:-

22rd November 1943 Il-2 20km NW Beoserka 1240 hrs 300 metres Nr1.
30th May 1944 Airacobra 15km NW Jassy 0940 hrs Nr2.
31st May 1944 Il-2 20km NE Jassy 1140 hrs Nr3.
1st June 1944 Airacobra 15km SE Tudora 1125 hrs Nr4.
11th June 1944 B-17 0955 hrs Nr5.
20th October 1944 Il-2 15km NNE Majdanpek 1500 hrs 1500 metres Nr6.

On 16th October 1944 he belly-landed his Bf109 near Schlossberg, but was unharmed. On 20th January 1945 he was shot down by Russian flak, he belly-landed his Bf109 South of Gross Strehlitz, 10km behind Russian lines, but managed to return unharmed. Apart from those listed, he also claimed a Yak-9 between Brieg and Oppeln in February 1945, and another Yak-9 in March 1945.

Regards

Johannes

[Dénes Bernád]

I am very sorry to hear that. Uffz. Stengl flew a lot with his Rumanian comrades between Febr.-Aug. 1944 (until Rumania's about-face), and was greatly appreciated by them. I found 11 victories credited to him in this time period, achieved in over 120 combat sorties.
May he rest in peace.

[Tom Semenza]

Johannes,

Thanks for this posting. Do you have the date and place of Herr Stengl's death? In Tony Wood's lists the claims of 30 May, 31 May and 1 June 1944 are listed as "Uffz. Hengl." It's nice to have that corrected. Was Stengl still an Unteroffizier in 1945?

Dénes,

You mentioned Stengl's association the the Grupul 9 van. in your Rumanian Aces of WW2. Do you have any details on his 11 claims made there that you can share with us?

Thanks,
Tom

[Johannes]

Hi

He ended the war as a Feldwebel. Sorry do not have exact details of death, had been very ill recently, unable to help with any enquires, was alive earlier on in 2010, I have earlier this year contacted Bernd Barbas about him, but he stated in a letter date 16th August 2010, that he had "Deied in the meantime".
Denes I would realy apprieciate the claim detail you have please.
With the bad handwriting on the Micro Films, his name does look like Hengl, but Bernd knows all JG52 pilots, and Stengl it was!

Kind Regards

Johannes

P.S Does the unit RUM.49 mean anything to you, I have Micro filmed claims for this unit!

[Dénes Bernád]

Originally Posted by Johannes

P.S Does the unit RUM.49 mean anything to you, I have Micro filmed claims for this unit!

That must be reference to the ARR's Escadrila 49 vanatoare.

As for Fw. Stengl's 11 victories over Rumania in 1944, this total was given in a Rumanian document, unfortunately without further details.

[Johannes]

Thanks Denes

Could be one of four things.

1. Document is wrong.
2. Stengl scored also with RUM.49(I'll check)
3. Rumania had some sort of points system!
4. He had as many unconfirmed as confirmed.

Regards

Johannes

P.S Half the claims I found for RUM.49 were for a Mihai.Michordea!!!

[Dénes Bernád]

1. Document is wrong. This cannot be excluded
2. Stengl scored also with RUM.49(I'll check). No. That particular squadron was equipped with the domestically-made I.A.R. 80/81
3. Rumania had some sort of points system! Yes, it did. This could be one plausible explanation
4. He had as many unconfirmed as confirmed. I cannot comment on this

[Johannes]

Hi Denes

Strange that RUM.49's claims(no matter how few) should appear on the Micro Films! JG52 and JG51's foreign units do, but you would expect this as they were basically a staffel within German units. Only others I could find like this were some Italian claims in 1944, they seemed particulary unsuccessful! The Micro Films do seem complete for JG52 for this period. I have twenty-eight for Woidich that are not recorded on the Micro Films, as his comrades do, and they do appear out of the ordinary for him, I think they are spurious, Woidich's personal abschusse list certainly ommits them!

Regards

Johannes

[yogybär]

May Herr Stengl rest in peace, my compassion is with his family.

Interesting thread, this. Indeed there are some claims of "49.rum." in Tony Woods claim lists, as there are some losses of romanian units in the GQM-lists. Maybe some of teh Sachbearbeiter (file-managing office guys) just didn't know how to handle this. Nearly nbelievable, but true: Even german (military) bureaucracy is not faultless .