Bf109 pilot lost 10/10/41 in Russia Far North

[BrianC]

Hi guys

I'm endeavouring to identify a Bf109 pilot who was apparently lost on 10 October 1941 over the River Msta near Novograd whilst pursuing a Po-2 biplane. Possibly JG51.

Any ideas, please?

Cheers
Brian

[Laurent Rizzotti]

According to the Luftwaffe summary losses database, only one German fighter was lost that day. He belonged to II./JG 54 and was entered in the category ""destroyed by gunfire from enemy aircraft during operational flight, not observed by enemy".

I don't have the JFV book for the period, but the old JG 54 loss list by the later Gunter Rosipal has also one loss for II./JG 54 that day: the Bf 109 F-2 WNr 12678 of 6./JG 54 was damaged beyond repair (at 70%) at "Wolwotizy" (probably Germanized version of a Russian place) due to "motor damage". From the above, it was not engine failure but the engine was probably hit by a Soviet aircraft in an air battle. The category "not observed by enemy" usually means that the aircraft did not fall in the battle area, but away from it, force landing or crashing in friendly territory while trying to return to base with a damaged aircraft. The pilot of WNr 12678 was unhurt and his name is not recorded in Rosipal's list.

[kirche]

Wolwotizy - Molwotizy?
Молвотицы (Molvotitsy, Maryovsky district of the Novgorod region)

[BrianC]

Hi guys

Thanks for that.

I'm investigating the story of Olga Lisikova, who stated that her U-2 ambulance aircraft (with two wounded soldiers on board) was attacked by a Bf109 and forced to land on a 7th Army airfield near the Msta River, on 10 October 1941. It was claimed that the Bf109 pilot misjudged his height and crashed onto the river bank. She stated that she had only flown about 20km when attacked. I wonder from which airfield had taken off.

Any further information would be gratefully received.

Cheers
Brian

[kirche]

Hi Brian,
In another interview, Olga Mikhailovna said that the case was "at the end of October 1941" (the date was not named). She flew from the airfield Borovichi, and made a forced landing on the airfield Verebye. Near Verebye Bf-109 crashed. The flight book has not survived - it is difficult to clarify the date.

[BrianC]

Thanks Kirche

In a report that I have just received it did specify 10 October 1941! But I have seen the other reports to which you refer.

It would now seem that this incident is out of my sphere of interest, thanks to the information you have now provided. I had 'hoped' that Olga was flying from the Salla area on this occasion! I do believe that she had flown ambulance missions from Murmansk/Salla but there seems to be a lack of records/documents regarding these 'mercy' flights. Maybe you have some information?


Cheers
Brian