II./JG-27 combats on 24 April 1944

[JBL1177]

I am researching the operations on 24 April 1944 of II./JG-27 against the USAAF strikes in southern Germany. In particular, I hope to discover which US fighters engaged the 8 Bf-109Gs and shot down 4 of them, including Gefreiter Friedrich Heilmann of 4./JG-27. His Bf-109 crashed near Herzogsweiler in the Black Forest, about 50 km. directly east of Strassbourg and 50 km. southwest of Stuttgart. This site was about 160 km. directly south of the Gruppe's air base at Erbenheim near Wiesbaden.

It appears that II./JG-27 engaged the bomber stream/fighter escorts just after the Americans crossed the Rhine on their way to their targets. Thus this particular air action took place well before and far to the west of the much larger air battles around Munich.

I would be most grateful for any assistance on this subject. Please accept my best wishes,
John

[Laurent Rizzotti]

The book "Brennendes Land" by Fred Trendle reports the death in the area of 3 JG 27 pilots (including Friedrich Heilmann) and two JG 3 pilots, with their names, aircraft details (including WNr) and crash location, but no time, and gives no ID to who shot them down. For other dates, the author provides such ID, so this case might be difficult.

[JBL1177]

Laurent,

Thanks very much. I was hoping some expert had analyzed the USAAF fighter escort reports and could match them up to the approximate time and place of the encounter. Identifying the combatants of both sides for a particular air action is always a difficult thing. I know the process, having done much research over the years on air actions between the USN and IJN in the early carrier battles from Pearl Harbor through Guadalcanal.

Best wishes,
John

[CENTURION]

Hello John,
according to JFV 13/I the II./JG27 took off at 11.57 and clashed with the Americans between 12.45 and 13.15.
At about the same time, between 12.40 and 13.00, the 4th FG claimed 11 FW.190s and 1 Me.109 plus 2 probables and 6 damaged in the Worms area.
The 343rd FS (55th FG) claimed a Bf.109 destroyed and another damaged at 13.05 30 miles NW of Lake Constance.
Finally, the 356th FS (354th FG) claimed 2 Bf.109s destroyed (but only one victory was confirmed downgraded to a probable) at 13.10 SW of Augsburg.
All the other claims are around Munich after 13.20.
Hope this helps.
Regards.

Marco

[JBL1177]

Dear Marco,

Thanks very much! This was exactly the lead I was hoping to find in order to puzzle out this particular air combat. If I may ask, was there a difference between the local time used by the Luftwaffe and by the USAAF?

I'm doing this research because I have acquired the Wehrpass and other documents of Gefreiter (Unteroffizier Candidate) Friedrich Heilmann and hope to research his service the best that I can. He was with 2./Jagdgruppe Sud for advanced fighter training from 10 Feb. to 24 March 1944 (which was reckoned in his Wehrpass as flying in combat) and flew with 4./JG-27 from 3 Apr. until his death on 24 Apr. 1944. If anyone would like, I could provide the dates and units for all of his flight training assignments.

Thanks again. I'll post further if I can find more on his last air battle.

Best wishes,
John

[drgondog]

The battles you describe were almost certainly with the 4th FG flying a sweep in front of the 1st BD. They clashed east of Stuttgart and around Worms. The LW also began strikes on 1BD near Ulm at 1215 and the 355th then 357th FGs engaged at 1315 and 1320 near Augsburg as the 1st BD proceeded east (north of Munich), bombed Erding in Ne corner, changed course to a waypoint SE of Munich then began bomb runs to Landsberg and Oberphaffenhofen In 1400-1415 timeframe.

[JBL1177]

Drgondog,

Thanks. I will certainly look into this and will keep piecing together what can be found. Gfr. Heilmann went down well to the south of Stuttgart. It's a shame the Luftwaffe records are not more detailed, but that's understandable given the circumstances.

Again thanks.

Best wishes,
John

[MW Giles]

If I may ask, was there a difference between the local time used by the Luftwaffe and by the USAAF?

They were both on the same time GMT +2, the UK being on double summer time to match the continent

Martin

[JBL1177]

Martin,

Thanks very much. The coincidence of the times used by both sides is very fortunate.

Best wishes,
John