Zestörer "Aces" with I./ZG2 in 1940

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

As a follow on to my posting of "aces" for I. and II./ZG26 yesterday, here are my current holdings of the known aces of I./ZG2. If anyone can provide any information on these pilots, or any other victory information on ZG2 in 1940, I would appreciate hearing from you.

1) Hptm Johannes Gentzen Stab I., 18 victories, no RK; 2) Oblt. Eduard Tratt 2 Staffel, 12 victories, RK 2.8.43; 3) Oblt. Harald Zimmermann, 3 Staffel, 7 victories, No RK 4) Fw. Wolfang Brachs, 1 Staffel, 7 victories, no RK; 5) Fw Ernst Otterbach, 3 staffel, 6 victories, no RK; Oblt. Wolfgang Maurer, 3 Staffel, 6 victories, no Rk; 7) Oblt. Heinz Wiberg, 2 Staffel, 6 victories.

Notes:

1) Only the first 10 victories for Gentzen, who died in a TO accident on 26.5.40, are in my data base; need dates, times and places and a/c type for his other 8 victories as a Bf110 pilot.

2) Tratt got his first three victories with 1./ZG1 on 1.6.40, then my sources report that he got his 4th through 12th victories with 2./ZG2; then transferred to 1./Erpr Gr 210 in July, 1940. He was reported with a total of 12 victories as a Zerstörer pilot by he end of 1940, but it is unclear which of the nine remaining victories he scored with 2./ZG2 and 1./Erpr. Gr.210. It seems unlikely that he could have scored nine victories with ZG 2 before transferring to ErprGr210, unless he moved from that unit back to ZG2 later in the Battle of Britain. Would appreciate clarification of his victory list info.