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  #1  
Old 17th February 2006, 11:46
ssipila ssipila is offline
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Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

Remnants of Heribert Koller's FW-190A "Black 12" (Detachment Kuhlmey / JG54) have been found at Malmi Airport in Helsinki, Finland. A bulletin with some images (in Finnish) is at http://www.pelastamalmi.org/fi/tiedo...w-kuhlmey.html .

Here is the text translated to English.

A fragment from a dire moment in Finnish history unearthed at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

In an excavation by the Civil Aviation Administration and Finnish Aviation Museum on the fringes of Helsinki-Malmi Airport, well-preserved fragments of a German military aircraft have been unearthed. The spot for the dig was pinpointed by Eino Eloranta, who in his youth digged around at the fresh crash site with the local boys.

The excavation has revealed, among other things, pieces of landing gear and wing, a 20-mm cannon and ammunition. They belong to a Focke-Wulf fighter of Luftwaffe's Detachment Kuhlmey. The aircraft was en route to Malmi Airport but crashed nearby on 18 June 1944 after the pilot had to bail out in bad weather. Detachment Kuhlmey played a crucial role in the defense of Finland in summer 1944.

In the 1941-1944 Continuation War against the Soviet Union, Malmi Airport was a Finnish Air Force base and an important maintenance and transit airfield for the Lufwaffe units in Finland. The exposed remnants from more than 60 years ago are a tangible reminder of the important role of Malmi Airport in the recent history of Finland.

--

The last flight of "Black 12"

In June 1944 Finland was in the middle of a dire moment in its history. The mass offensive of the Soviet Union on the Karelian Isthmus had begun on 9 June. To aid the Finnish military in bringing the offensive to a halt, Detachment Kuhlmey of the Luftwaffe arrived on 12 June (see http://www.pelastamalmi.org/en/news/mass_offensive.html). Its pinpoint bombings were a decisive factor in stopping the Red Army. Detachment Kuhlmey flew thousands of sorties and dropped hundreds of tons of bombs. It destroyed more than 100 enemy aircraft, around 200 tanks, and tens of bridges and maintenance convoys while suffering notable losses itself.

Unteroffizier Herbert Koller of Detachment Kuhlmey took off on 18 June 1944 at 8:45am from Immola in order to fly the battle-damaged Focke- Wulf 190A "Black 12" to Petseri, Estonia, for repairs. An intermediate landing in Helsinki was intended. On the way Koller noticed an Il-2 attack aircraft harassing a ship in the Gulf of Finland and turned from his route to shoot it down. The remaining leg to Helsinki proved difficult as the weather was getting bad and the clouds were hanging close to the ground. Near Malmi Airport Koller lost ground visibility and due to a faulty flight attitude instrument nearly lost control of the aircraft twice. Koller described the events:

"...this time something dark came towards me. I recognized it as a cliff and at the same instant I brushed through a treetop. I'll never know how I managed to gain altitude again and as this time there was no water below, I bailed out at 300 m and opened my parachute immediately.

I was happy when I heard the FW 190 hit solid ground. Right after that, there was more light and I saw that I was drifting towards some high-tension cables. By pulling hard on the braids I managed to change direction and landed on a field next to the cables.

The aircraft was burning about 100 m away. The fire brigade of Malmi Airport or the German detachment there had observed my wandering around the airspace with great concern, and the fire brigade arrived in just a few minutes - the distance to the Airport was only 200 m."
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Old 17th February 2006, 15:52
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Sergio Luis dos Santos Sergio Luis dos Santos is offline
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

Thanks for translating!
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Old 18th February 2006, 18:54
Leo Etgen Leo Etgen is offline
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Unteroffizier Koller

Hi guys

Very interesting information. Many thanks for translating and sharing it with us. It is my understanding that this was Fw 190 A-6 "Black 12" (W.Nr. 550 889). Perhaps some would find this interesting as well.

Horrido!

Leo
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Old 19th February 2006, 14:12
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

I will inform Heribert about it. I am sure that he will be excited to hear that this Fw 190 was found.

He flew 23 missions in "black 12" in May and June 1944 including 13 operational. On the last one (18. June) he shot down on ferry flight to Helsinki an Il-2 attacking burning Axis vessel.

My best guess based on support from Finnish researchers is that burning vessel was Finnish tanker Shell-4

The Il-2 (that was unconfirmed due to missing witness) could be most likely 7. GShAP a/c shot down 10 km north of Seiskari (Seskar).

The "black 12" is shown in Prien/Rodeike book with Heribert Koller in the cockpit and Ofhr. Hanns-Veit von Obernitz (his wingman) congratulating him after victory on 17. June 1944 (Jak-9) scored at 17.40 NE of Perkjärvi

I had the pleasure to present to Heribert these photos. He remembered that photographer made them, but he never saw them until 2004.

I published the story and analysis in REVI magazine Nr. 51

For more information I reccomend to see also: http://www.jg54greenhearts.com/Koller.htm
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Old 19th February 2006, 14:28
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

I just talked to Heribert,

he is excited that "black 12" was found.
He complained about artifitial horizon that was damaged and made the final approach impossible.

Horrido
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Old 19th February 2006, 20:55
ssipila ssipila is offline
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airpo

Quote:
Originally Posted by Jan Bobek
I just talked to Heribert,

he is excited that "black 12" was found.
He complained about artifitial horizon that was damaged and made the final approach impossible.
Nice to hear that Mr. Koller is around and well!

It should be stressed that only relatively small fragments of "black 12" are left at the site - most of the wreck remained above ground and was salvaged and taken away already in 1944. But at least the exact crash site is now pinpointed.

Mr. Eloranta (who guided the diggers to the spot) seemed to have the impression, based on damage to the trees he saw in 1944, that "black 12" crashed in a shallow dive instead of vertically, and hit the bank of a ditch where parts of it were buried.

Please let me know the exact reference to the book by Prien & Rodeike - I'd love to see the picture of Mr. Koller and Black 12 just one day before its last flight.
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Old 19th February 2006, 22:30
Kari Lumppio Kari Lumppio is offline
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

Hello!

Very interesting theme where I would like to insert a sideline.

Mr. Bobek, did your article deal with the aerial battles over Estonia Summer 1944? Namely, on Eric Mombeek's homepage ( http://www.luftwaffe.be ) there is listed herr Koller's Flugbuch and the locations he flew from. I quote:

"...Petseri, Joriza, Wesenberg, Helsinki, Imola, Reval, Latre, Jewe, Wenden, Oberpahlen, Tuagel, Riga ..."
(or more correctly Petseri, Idriza, Helsinki, Immola, Reval (or Tallinn), Laatre (small Estonian pre-war reserve airfield), Jewe (in Estonian Jõhvi, ex NSGr 11 airfield), Wenden (Cēsis, Latvia), Oberpahlen ( Põltsamaa, Estonia, btw III/SG3 was also based there late Summer 1944), Türgel (Türi, Estonia, may have been temporary field (in the real sense of word?)), Riga ..."

All of the Estonian places named above are more than interesting for me:
- The Laatre basing is probably related to the transfer of troops to Southern Estonia by airlift (I am not sure if this was done or only planned, anyway Laatre was to be the arrival location).
- The basing at Jewe/Jõhvi might explain why 3./NSGr 11 was sent for a day or two to south and then made to come back (if it was in the time it seems have been).
- Also the Türi is interesting because as far as I know there was no real airfield there at WW2 time. This was just before II/JG54 left Estonia for good so it may have been diversion from expected Soviet air attack?

Like you see herr Koller's story of the July-August 1944 fighting over Estonia would be of great importance to me. As much as his time in Finland (although Hannu Valtonen's book about Commando Kuhlmey includes Koller's info too.).

I will keep my eyes open.

Cheers,
Kari
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Old 23rd February 2006, 01:11
erkkim erkkim is offline
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Exclamation Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

Quote:
Originally Posted by ssipila
In June 1944 Finland was in the middle of a dire moment in its history. The mass offensive of the Soviet Union on the Karelian Isthmus had begun on 9 June. To aid the Finnish military in bringing the offensive to a halt, Detachment Kuhlmey of the Luftwaffe arrived on 12 June (see http://www.pelastamalmi.org/en/news/mass_offensive.html ). Its pinpoint bombings were a decisive factor in stopping the Red Army. Detachment Kuhlmey flew thousands of sorties and dropped hundreds of tons of bombs. It destroyed more than 100 enemy aircraft, around 200 tanks, and tens of bridges and maintenance convoys while suffering notable losses itself.

Unteroffizier Herbert Koller of Detachment Kuhlmey took off on 18 June 1944 at 8:45am from Immola in order to fly the battle-damaged Focke- Wulf 190A "Black 12" to Petseri, Estonia, for repairs. An intermediate landing in Helsinki was intended.
I recommend that you look at the picture behind above URL. You might see there even Heribert Koller (?)
And compare it to this http://www2.hs.fi/kuvat/uutiset/2003/09/25/ie-malmi.jpg which is from year 2003.
More pictures from the airport you can get here http://pik.tky.fi/malmi/index-e.htm
http://pik.tky.fi/malmi/malmi-e.htm
http://pik.tky.fi/malmi/interior2.jpg

And if you want to read about the old unique WWII airport, look here
http://www.pelastamalmi.org/en/index.html
(and do not forget to sign the petition! )
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Old 28th February 2006, 21:35
erkkim erkkim is offline
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airport

Some photos of the remnants are now posted on forum http://www.flightforum.fi/forum/inde...topic=49610.40

The photos are taken at Finnish Aviation Museum
http://www.ilmailumuseo.fi/
http://www.suomenilmailumuseo.fi/en/index.html
where the safe material will be stored and (later) displayed
The dangerous explosives will be destroyed by the military officials
(if I understood correct)
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Old 1st March 2006, 13:47
ChrisB ChrisB is offline
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Re: Remnants of Detachment Kuhlmey's FW-190A "Black 12" found at Helsinki-Malmi Airpo

Hallo,

Please, please !! If anyone has any Photos of Mr Koller, can they please post them?

He had an aversion to being photographed as he believed it brought bad luck. I would love to see a copy of the one in the prien book!

Thanking you,
Chris
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