Lt Heinz Schmidt (II./JG52, RK+EL) - two strange cases 15.Jan.43 and 17.Feb.43

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello!

Question about Lt Heinz Schmidt (RK+EL). According to JFV 12/2 and to Berndt Barbas (volume about II./JG52), he had a trouble on 15.Jan.43 due to motor failure over sea in LQu2751, Bf109G WNr14556.
But LQu.2751 is E of Salsk (and E of airfield Gigant where II./JG52 based at that moment). It is in steppe far from any sea (according to Barbas it was Azov Sea, and the pilot bailed out).

The documentary data are as follows:
Seenotdienst on 17.Feb.1943 [the difference is more than a month] received a message that Heinz Schmidt bailed out from the burning Bf109 in LQu.5770 [NW corner of Azov Sea]. The search lasted until 22.Feb. when it became known that he was in the hospital in Melitopol (he reached it on foot on ice).
It seems the cases of 15.Jan.43 and 17.Feb.43 have mixed into one version.

According to GQM return, 15.Jan.43 WNr14556 crashed due to motor failure but pilot not mentioned. It seems the case 17.Feb.43 is missing at all.

Another problem is what did the pilot do in the burning plane in the NW corner of Azov Sea in the rear ~135 km from his base (Kerch at that moment) and 250+ km from the frontline? WIA in action and lost the orientation? Or it was a transit flight?

Best regards,
Andrey