Pilot Horst Rippert claimed Saint Exupéry : 31 July 1944 / 15 March 2008 !

[gaynako]

Yes, and there is a lot of questions about Hartman's victories..

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by gaynako

A pilot never part with his log book.

I have spoken to Luftwaffe pilots who had their logbooks taken by the US or British troops who captured them; another whose home was in the Soviet zone and destroyed his logbook because he feared what would happen if he was found with a "Nazi" document. The late Erich Sommer lost most of his personal effects when a trailer fell into a ravine when his unit was retreating through the Alps from Italy.

[P61Studies]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

I have spoken to Luftwaffe pilots who had their logbooks taken by the US or British troops who captured them; another whose home was in the Soviet zone and destroyed his logbook because he feared what would happen if he was found with a "Nazi" document. The late Erich Sommer lost most of his personal effects when a trailer fell into a ravine when his unit was retreating through the Alps from Italy.

Destruction of flight logs and the like is nothing uncommon on any side really. Strictly speaking, it certainly isn't the wisest thing, for those who did it, to take logbooks in the air with them. Logbooks can contain valuable intel for the capturers. On the ground, tons and tons of German documentation was destroyed on the ground to prevent it's capture; I'm sure more than a few logbooks ended up in burn cans. The same situation befell US forces during the fall of the Philippines in 1942. I'm sure the Brits went through the same in the Far East, France & the Lowlands and so on.

As far as my take on Exupery...this sounds like a lot of BS. The reality is we'll probably never know to a majority satisfaction who killed him, or if it was an accident or whatever other theories are floating around.

On another note, I recall that not too many years back, Exupery's medals were up for auction. Anyone know anything about that?

[Nick Beale]

I've just posted a new article on my website reviewing archival evidence for the Luftwaffe having shot Saint-Exupéry down.

Guess what …

[Andy Fletcher]

As ever, excellent article Nick.

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Nick,

Good article indeed. Have you sent it for comments to Jacques Pradel and Luc Vanrell?

Regards,

Bart

[Jan Bobek]

Nice artical Nick! Le Fana de l´Aviation is Nr. 297/August 1994

For others - with Nick´s help I prepared an artical for Czech business newspapers, artical is focused for common public and was published a week ago. It is in Czech language, so Slovak and possibly also Polish citizens can read it.

http://www.ihned.cz/c4-10131700-2363...nich-dokumentu

[B.F.M. Droog]

Jan,

What's the conclusion in your article (sorry, my knowledge of the Czech language is rather limited)?

Regards,

Bart

[Jan Bobek]

Bart,

having available relevant files from Nick, I came to conclusion that there is no engagement recorded over Southern France on July 31, 1944. As example of day when something happened, I used JGr. 200 interception of US Lockheed F-5 on July 30 and records available in US, UK and Germany.

I would add one comment to summary of Luftflotte 3 operations on July 31, 1944 - the daily summary says that 6 victories were achieved. All of them are known - single engine fighters claimed by JG 1 and JG 2 in different parts of France. It just confirms that no engagement was reported over Southern France.

I think that interception of a recon F-5 or Mosquito (Rippert claimed one on other day) was something special for pilots of Jafü Süd. Therefore Rippert could participate in such interception, even on July 30. He referes to Guhl as his very good friend. They served in same Staffel.

Rippert worried about his link to death of Saint-Exupery soon after the war. About 5 years after the war he came to conclusion that he had nothing to do with that. He was still having this impression 10 years ago from now. So you can see that he did not create this topic out of blue. As a pre-war reader of Saint-Ex he was disturbed by his death for decades.

But apparently he had doubts and qualms in the meantime ... after meeting with some researchers he said what he said in March 2008.

His statement doesn´t change my respect for almost 90 years old fighter ace.

cheers

[B.F.M. Droog]

Hello Jan,

Thanks for the summary. It's quite enlightening.

Cheers,

Bart