8.AF fighters attack on Luftwaffe airfields on 5 April 1944

[Peter Kassak]

Hi all,

can some 8.AF expert please provide me with information, which Fighter Goup attacked which airfield on their concentrated attack on April 5, 1944? I am interrested specially in the Oettingen airfield.
I only know that 355.FG received unit citation for this mission, however they attacked other location as I am interested.
Thanks a lot

Peter

[Buckeye30]

Hi Peter. Groups were 4th, 352nd and 355th.
355th...Denigen, Lechfeld, Penzig, Ottingen, Landsberg, Oberpfaffenhofen.
4th....Potsdam, Plaue, Brandenburg, Friedersdorf, Stendal.
I THINK the 352nd were in the Berlin area but not sure of the targets (but not in the 4th FG's area).


Bill Marshall would no doubt know more about the 355th.
Regards

Nick

[Peter Kassak]

Thanks a lot... great info.

[Smithy]

Originally Posted by Buckeye30

4th....Potsdam, Plaue, Brandenburg, Friedersdorf, Stendal.

Hi Nick,

Just to add to those you listed above, the Jackpot op that Blakeslee led also included the aerodrome at Jüterbog.

Cheers,

Tim

[Peter Kassak]

So lets focus on 355.FG. Do we know the names and claims of enemy a/c types straffed at Oettingen airdrome please? Thank you...

[KM1957]

The 357th Squadron only made claims at Ottingen, they claimed 2-11 on the ground. Lt. Reedy with 1-1 Ju 88 and 0-1 Me 109; Lt. Butler with 1-0 Ju 88, Lt. Lee with 0-3 Me 110; Lt. Kerch with 0-2 Me 110; Lt. Sturm with 0-1 FW 200, Me 110, Ju 88 and Ju 52.

Kent

[Larry deZeng]

Oettingen:

Remarks:
5 Apr 44: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-51 Mustangs – claimed 2 x Ju 88s destroyed, plus 1 x Bf 109, 6 x Bf 110s, 2 x Ju 88s, 1 x Ju 52 and 1 x Fw 200 damaged.
3 Oct 44: airfield bombed by 10 8th AAF B-17 Fortresses as a target of opportunity.
8 Feb 45: a 50-man detachment of the civilian repair firm Espenlaub set up in a hangar at Oettingen to repair Fw 190 fighters.
21 Feb 45: strafed by 12 P-51 Mustangs – 5 x Fw 190, 1 x Bf 110 and 3 x Si 204 lightly damaged. (German report)
23 Feb 45: airfield bombed by 48 8th AAF B-17s.
18 Apr 45: low-level attack by VIII Fighter Command P-51s – claimed 1 x Bf 109, 1 x Bf 110, 2 x Fw 190s and 1 x Ju 88 destroyed.
Operational Units: III./ZG 76 (Nov 43 – Apr 44); elements of I., II./ZG 76 (Feb-Apr 44); II./JG 53 (May-Jun 44).
School Units: Arbeitsplatz for FFS A 5; Arbeitsplatz for FFS C 13 then FFS B 13 (Roth) (Feb 42 – Jun 44).
Reserve Training & Replacement Units: 6., 7. and 8./Erg.JG 1 (Feb – Mar 45).

[www.ww2.dk]; Miller, Kent D.. Fighter Units & Pilots of the 8th Air Force – September 1942 – May 1945; Volume 1: Day-to-Day Operations, Fighter Group Histories. Atglen (PA): Schiffer Publishing, 2001. ISBN: 0-7643-1241-3. Oversize Hb. 486p. A few photos. A statistical compilation.

[Peter Kassak]

Kent and Larry, many many thanks....
I am intersted in this because of 4 lost Bf 110s of ZG 76.
And to add to Larrys list, in the loss table there is also unit named Bachmann & Blumenthal with 10 Bf 110 damaget 10-100%.

[Larry deZeng]

Peter -

Bachmann & Blumenthal was a civilian aircraft repair and overhaul contractor that worked on Luftwaffe aircraft. The 10 Bf 110s were probably on their Oettingen repair facility inventory for maintenance and repair work.

L.

[Peter Kassak]

Thanks a lot Larry...