Rüdiger von Kirchmayr

[Monaco]

The war diary (until September 1943) of this pilot is online on You Tube (https://youtu.be/8-08qTJ1-M0) though only in german language.
In general it seems reasonable except for some passages for his time in JFS 5 and Ergänzungsjagdgruppe West which raise some questions.

One (in part 14) is the capture of a Sunderland flying boat flying from Cazeaux on 19.05.42

Kirchmayr´s plane was the only armed Bf.109, he led his 3 students for a Tieflugübung, when a flyingboat appeared with a small corcade at low-level; Kirchmayr managed to force the Sunderland off course with 2 second salvoes (3 times) from the left in front of the plane and showed the pilot to put his plane down on the water in Arcachon Bay, where boats of the KM „Schnellboot“ captured the crew and freight of weapons for the french resistance.

I found no RAF Sunderland loss for that date, nor an entry in the War diary of "Seekriegsleitung"

Does anyone have information about this incident?

[Martin Gleeson]

Hello Monaco,

Very strange indeed. I don't know of any such Sunderland loss, and their fates are generally well documented. However, a very similar case involves Catalina FP138 of RAF 45 Group (ex-Ferry Command), lost on 7 April 1943. Apparently the crew were lost and when low on fuel approached the French coast off Plougheuneau, near Brest. It seems two - or four - fighters from 8./JG 2 were involved, with Fw. Walter Ebert claiming the Catalina shot down. Three of the six crew on board died and the other three were captured.

Long ago I saved an online article on one of the crew, Alan Rodgers, from the St. Bees village website. It is very good. The excellent history of RAF Ferry Command, 'OCEAN BRIDGE' by Carl A. Christie, has very little on this loss.

Volumes 1 and 2 of the 'LUFTWAFFE ACES' series by Johannes Mathews and John Foreman support the above. Indeed their entry for von Kirchmayr shows him with JG 1 in 1943.

Hope this helps as a start to resolving this little mystery.

Regards,

Martin Gleeson.

[Monaco]

Hello Martin, thanks for that. I also read an article about that on absa39-45. Also this site provides some details: https://francecrashes39-45.net/page_...av.php?id=3703
Generally the PBY was unarmed for the long flight from Darrell´s Island (Bermudas t/o at 11.00h GMT on 6.4.43) to Scottland. Because of bad weather the plane was re-routed to Plymouth, but missed it. Disorientated the crew found itself at 13.00h over l´Aber Wrac´h when targeted by flak and fighter and pilot Capt Eddie H. Stafford decided to ditch her at 13.45h.

[Monaco]

Another suspect entry of the diary is referring to a "Vergeltungsangriff" on Canterbury by Jabos, the entry is from 8.5.42, the order for transfer apparently one week before and the attack ordered for 7.5.42:
Kirchmayr was tasked to lead 8 Bf.109 pilots (two Schwärme) from Ergänzungsgruppe West to transfer to St. Omer to take part on a Jabo mission against Canterbury as a revenge for recent attacks on german cities (Lübeck 28./29.3. & Rostock 24.-27.4.). The formation of Erg. West was to follow two Jabo Gruppen of JG 26 escorted by three more fighter groups; Tiefstflug with 1 bomb in radio silence, over the coast they zoomed up, then AA fire, one Bf.109 to the side lost one wing by a steel wire that were shot into the air, Kirchmayr leading two Schwärme of Erg. West fired his onboard weapons into the town, but was then alone (he saw 4-5 german fighters falling to this wires and flak) when he turned around in a wide curve he saw a tree enhanced road wher lorries were located. He dropped his bomb on them, but hit an „Autobus“; a Rotte Spitfires attacked him from above and the left after he crossed the coast. Kirchmayr flew at very low level, but could not gain more than 600 km/h because of the pylon for the bomb slowing him down. Kirchmayr zoomed up, when the leading Spit pilot dived on him and his prop wash sent his pursuer on the surface of the water, where it bounced back once, but crashed in a small ankle a second later. The second Spitfire then turned back horrifyied.
A total of 4 of 8 young pilots without combat experience of Erg. West were missing, the othe Jabos had also losses. Return to Cazeaux the same evening. The other groups got away unscathed an even reported some victories.

I have found nothing about the attack in Caldwell´s and Goss´s books...
only the following losses:

III./ JG 2; F; Fl.Pl. St.Brieuc; Bruchlandung inf. techn. Mängel; Fw 190 A-2; 125293; 85%; N.N. -
10.(Jabo)/ JG 2; F; Ärmelkanal; Unbekannt; Bf 109 F-4; 7053; bl 9 + <- J; 100%; Uffz. Görendt, Bruno; vm.
III. JG 26; F; Fl.Pl. Abbeville-Druca; Bruchlandung, Bedienungsfehler; Fw 190 A-2 125406; 10%; N.N. -

[Monaco]

Some other questions about Kirchmayr´ personal diary (ending 9.43 and apparentlysupplemented from his flight log by his wife). In 4.45 he transferred to JV 44 from Stab I./JG.11 in position as Hauptmann. Is he the Hptm. Kirchays mentioned Forsyth´s book about JV 44? The list for LftKdo.6 was provided by Hptm. Gutowski after a telephone call (Fernmündliche Rücksprache) between him and Major Schürmeier on 27.4.45.
Can anyone support my assumption?

[Monaco]

In April 1945 Kirchmayr transferred to JV 44, this unit was operating the jet fighter Me.262 first from Brandenburg-Briest (24.2.-3.4.45), then München-Riem (until 29.4.45) and finally Salzburg-Maxglan (until 3.5.45). According to this diary he scored 13 victories in the last month of the war none of which was officially confirmed. As I believe he was at the beginning of the month still with I./JG.11 he could have claimed 12 on the jet fighter.Are there any possible opponents known?

06.04.45 P-51 FB Nr.92
14.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.93
15.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.94
20.04.45 B-26 FB Nr.95 probably against 323rd BG over Kempten-Memmingen
23.04.45 P-51 FB Nr.96
25.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.97
26.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.98
26.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.99
27.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.100
28.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.101
30.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.102
30.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.103
01.05.45 1 P-51 FB Nr.104

The list war copied by his wife, but it is subject to errors i.e. there are 4 victories listed (over 3 B-17s and 1 B-24) including one through ramming. I found no 8th AF mission for 31 March 1944 (maybe an error of date or fantasy?)

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

Another very strange one, kind of reminds me of Walter Dahl's end of war claims. John Foreman always thought that Dahl was shall we say a little less than honest(claims to Allied loses information) Whereas I having acquired(post publication) Dahl's Leistungsbuch and in my opinion Dahl didn't make fake claims in the last months of the war, but merely constructed a list, so nothing official, yet he gives an over inflated total of his claims in his 1964 publication. If my aged memory serves me correctly his total has varied over the years, possibly via Ernst Obermaier's publication, perhaps Ernst was fed some made-up data. Other JV44 pilots don't mention any Kirchmayr super-success with them. Perhaps the flugbuch itself if fake, or post-war amended, I think Steinhoff's was amended by Hans Ring, but it could be easy enough to tell.

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Johannes]

Hi Guys

I have scrutinised the "13" and personally think they are made up by somebody. Firstly the only claim that sits well with JV44's claims is as suggested that for 20th April. In all the others they are unique amongst JV44's claims, and those for 26th April are impossible as the KBT papers cover this date, and omit these. John Foreman thought that JV44 claimed an Allied aircraft(type unknown) on 1st May which Kirchmayr could have claimed.

If Allied loss experts scrutinised Kirchmayr's claims we can find out if he was honest or not. Personally I think he probably was honest as I have several abschüßmeldung each giving a different witness, these also give which number claim it was for the pilot, and this indicates a low total.

Also he turns from an unspectacular claimer, to suddenly being brilliant.......doesn't seem likely despite a superior aircraft.

If I were to exaggerate a pilots claims, I would do this for 1945 as there is almost no way of dis-proving it, but Kirchmayr in his lifetime could not have known this (died 8th December 1994)which suggest that somebody else has made-up spurious claims for him, or they are perfectly legitimate, but rememboring the KBT papers, the former is more likely.

I do have an earlier flugbuch for him, perhaps comparing the two might give an answer.

Kind Regards

Johannes

[Nick Beale]

John Foreman thought that JV44 claimed an Allied aircraft(type unknown) on 1st May which Kirchmayr could have claimed.

Was JV 44 even active on 1 May? American troops had reached Munich by 30 April. Some of the aircraft that evacuated to Prague may have fought on as part of Gefechtsverband Hogeback but it was all over in Bavaria.

[MW Giles]

25.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.97
26.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.98
26.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.99
27.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.100
28.04.45 B-24 FB Nr.101
30.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.102
30.04.45 1 Boeing (B-17) FB Nr.103
01.05.45 1 P-51 FB Nr.104

The heavies of the 8th AF and RAF Bomber Command stopped bombing the Reich on the 25th April 1945.

Though 100 Grp BC were in support of a Kiel raid on 02.05.45, before anyone corrects me

The 15th AF did some sorties, but did not come over the Alps

Anyone claiming a B-17 or B-24 after 25.04.45 (not connecxted with food dropping in Holland) is a fraud.

Martin