Oblt. Werner Schroer Bf 109 G-2 - more ebay senselessness #378

 

So Oliver has gone on holiday and the Petrick archive sale is paused. Time for one particular buyer (no, not me!) to reflect perhaps..The image below apparently sold for well over 200 euros.  Published more than once, a Rotte of 8./JG 27 including Werner Schroer's G-2 trop 'Red 1' . See for example, pages 217-220 of Jochen Prien's  III & IV./JG 27. This image and the series taken on the same occasion are of course available at the Bundesarchiv; in other words the 'lucky' buyer could quite easily have purchased the whole series for a handful of euros. Not 238 !!

Me 262 - the 'ultimate' aircraft design of WW II ..or an undeserved reputation ?

 

no preamble, no intro, but a heads-up for a must-read piece written by 'Drix' over on his  aviation blog

Drix writes in French so you may need to hit the 'translate' button if using Google

https://aviadrix.blogspot.com/2024/07/le-messerschmitt-262-indispensable.html

And a comment posted by Alain Breton;

" As usual with Drix, an article that sets the record straight.  While it is undeniable that German engineers made a major contribution to the development of modern aerospace technologies, it is also true that in many respects they played the role of sorcerer's apprentice, and that their ‘successes’ often owed more to propaganda than to reality.

In the particular case of Messerschmitt, the Luftwaffe's ‘spearheads’ in 1938-1939, the Bf 109 and 110, never had a real successor: the 209/309s were a fiasco that never made it past the testing stage, and the 210/410s were even worse, as they reached the mass production stage despite not being very good - to put it mildly!

The Bavarian manufacturer's real claim to fame was to have pushed the development of a fighter designed around a very small engine (and a very small pilot...) to the furthest limits to produce the 109 K, which was still ‘in the game’ in 1945 - quite an achievement for an aircraft designed 11 years earlier! (In fairness to the British, they did much the same with their Spitfire! )

Turning to the Me 262, it is probable that its 'reputation' owes much to a combination of surprise on the part of the Allies, who were certainly not expecting to find such an aircraft in the middle of their B-17 ‘boxes’, and post-war German accounts, led by Galland, which made it the victim of the Führer's interference with his determination to transform this racing beast into a bomber. The reality is less rosy and the aircraft had weaknesses as well as qualities. It was a machine - with its unresponsive and difficult-to manage engines, huge take-off run, lack of maneuverability - that could really only be entrusted to ‘experienced’ pilots, which was precisely what the Luftwaffe lacked most towards the end of the conflict!

One last detail: the aircraft's ‘large mass’ was a handicap not only once it was in the air, but also from the moment it was manufactured, using materials that were becoming increasingly rare! With this in mind, the decision was taken in the autumn of 1944 to rush through the He 162 with its single engine and mostly wooden construction...."

Melitta v. Stauffenberg " The Countess who crossed Hitler " by Richard Whittle

 

A heads-up for aerospace author Richard Whittle's latest article just published in the 'Summer 2024' edition of the National Air and Space Museum magazine " Air & Space Quarterly ". A former research fellow at the NASM, Richard has turned his research skills to the career and mysterious demise of Germany's 'other' female test pilot, Melitta von Stauffenberg. He sheds new light on the various theories surrounding her death at the end of the war. On 8 April 1945, while at the controls of a Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann trainer en route to Schoenberg - perhaps to rescue her husband imprisoned by the regime after his brother's failed assassination attempt on the Führer - and navigating along a rail track running near the Danube in the vicinity of Strasskirchen, Bavaria, she was shot down, by whom it is - or rather was - unclear. According to German author Gerhard Bracke, Me 109s may have been involved. And according to eye witnesses she managed to successfully crash-land the aircraft, but apparently later died from her 'non life-threatening' injuries in hospital in Straubing, possibly at the hands of the Gestapo. In a recent message to this blog, Richard writes, " the Bücker 181 Melitta was flying was placed at her disposal by a Major at the Flugzeugführerschule A 114 in Marienbad, where she had ended up on April 6. But Marienbad is in the Czech Republic today, and she took off on April 8 from somewhere in the vicinity of Straubing, maybe Flugplatz Straubing, it seems. The plane she was flying bore the registration GY + BL. I am continuing my research, specifically regarding information on the airfield Melitta departed from on April 8, 1945.."

Go to the NASM quarterly magazine 'Air and Space' 

 Also on this blog;

The Third Reich's 'other' female test pilot

I./JG 52 at Coquelles - unseen Battle of Britain Spitfire crash footage from Wingleader films

 

During the summer of 1940 a pilot from I Gruppe JG 52 based at Coquelles near Calais filmed the images that follow on his 8mm camera. Depicting as they did the daily routines of a Luftwaffe fighter unit during the Battle of Britain made them fascinating enough. But the Wingleader team were further intrigued by a clip towards the end of the film showing a downed RAF pilot and the smoking wreckage of an RAF aircraft. Chris Goss, owner of the film, had according to the commentary, always assumed that this snippet of film showed a downed machine from 1941 - with the RAF's 'lean-into-France' good numbers of Spitfires and RAF medium bombers were brought down over France. In addition, only four Spitfires put down on French soil during the Battle of Britain, of which three were extensively photographed - no images of the fourth were known. So was this the missing Spitfire R6966 flown by Sgt. Philip Wareing of 616 Sqd downed on 25 August 1940? A single click on the red start button to view here.

Below; A line up of JG 52 Emils seen in Coquelles just outside Calais, the site today of the Tourist traffic waiting areas for Channel tunnel Le Shuttle traffic..note the clock tower of the town hall ( le Beffroi de l’Hôtel de Ville ) on the skyline..click to view large.

Luftwaffe fighter units based on this (open expanse of grass) airfield;  source ” Les pertes de la chasse de jour en France ” by Pierre Watteeuw (Luftwaffe day fighter losses in France)

 – I./JG 52 from 3 August to 31 October 1940

– I./ JG 51 from 9 March to 25 May 1941

– III./ JG 26 from 19 October 1941 to 7 April 1942

..and from the current Peter Petrick archive sale, P/O Roberts 64 Sqd Spitfire belly-landed at Calais-Marck on 15 August 1940 after Luftkampf with fighters of I.(J)/LG 2, one of just four Spitfires to come down over France during the Battle of Britain...

Arado Ar 196 in the harbour at Kos -archive photo scan #26

 

Arado Ar 196 in the harbour at Kos town, on the Aegean island of Kos. The Neratzia castle ramparts are visible in the background. The Bundesarchiv image is dated October 1943, shortly after the island was 'captured' following the Italian change-of-sides.  Bottom, a modern image by way of comparison.

A reminder that BATAILLES AÉRIENNES N°100 covering the air battles over and around Kos and Leros entitled " La dernière victoire de la Luftwaffe en Méditerranée - Les combats du Dodécanèse (Sept-Nov. 1943)" by Shores and Roba is still available from the Lela Presse website here 

yet more late-war Gustav profile artworks from Angantyr

 

 A third installment of late-war Gustav profile artworks from Angantyr.

First out is a WNF Bf 109 G-6/U4 WNr 441744. Flown by 11./JG 27 -  it was lost (31.07.1944) in Saint-Germain-d´Elle near Saint-Lô in Normandie, captured by US troops. The original Staffel was back in Dortmund by this time. 

Next is a WNF Bf 109 G-14 of Stab I./JG 4 as seen in Babenhausen in April 1945. WNr 510XXX. The fuselage seems to be covered with something, as the Balkenkreuz cannot be seen. By this time, I Gruppe personnel was being drafted as infantry. (source MAH)

Next, the speculative aircraft last flown by the German cousin of the French fighter ace Pierre Clostermann, namely Bruno Klostermann of 11./JG 300 who was KIA on 14 January 1945 in a Bf 109 G-10 manufactured by Erla. There seems to be some disagreement as to whether he flew “Green 2” or “Green 12” . Erla production G-10's lacked the black cross on the fuselage, only showing the white outline, sometimes “filled in” by the ground crew(as here).

 

Lastly I have reworked a profile presented in Falcons Messerschmitt website depicting a Bf 109 G-10 produced by Erla, which, in my opinion, is grossly inaccurate, more resembling a Bf 109 G-6/AS than anything else. It also carries the camouflage that was used by 460XXX series G-14:s, ie “spotted dog” pattern. Anyhow, this is WNr 491 375 flown by Uffz Franz Keicher of 3./JG 4 who was lost on 11 February 1945 in air combat over Lübben/Steinau. Pilot was declared MIA.

The last two are both from JG 300, one from 3 Staffel, flown by an unknown pilot in the summer of 1944, the last one is a G-14 flown in the winter of 44-45 by Gefr Ernst Sharf of 16 Staffel.

More late-war Gustav artwork from Angantyr on this blog here

Me 163 BV45 'PK+QP'

 

One reason for re-posting some of the better images from Peter Petrick's archive is that they can be displayed at a much larger size than they were ever published  - and usually without the 'moire' pattern too. Presumably one reason why they are also selling for large amounts. 

The following photo of the Me 163 B V45 'PK+QP' just sold for 80 euros. Here it is having its C-Stoff tank filled. Franks states that this was the first pre-production Me 163 airframe known to have been fitted with the MK 108 cannon. Note the retractable tailwheel fairing. According to Ransom it was re-painted in August 1944 as C1+05 and later went to Brandis for armament trials.

Fw 190 A-6s Gruppenstabschwarm III./JG 11, Oldenburg, March 1944 (Hackl)

 

JG 11 ace Hptm.Anton Hackl (left) preparing for a sortie with the Gruppenstabschwarm of III./JG 11 during March 1944 in Oldenburg. The Focke Wulfs appear to be lined-up prior to engine start. The Fw 190 A-6 in the background is 'chevron 2 + I' and the 'Drache' (dragon) Wappenschild can be seen under the cockpit. The Kommandeur of III./JG 1 Hptm. Friedrich Eberle is an interested spectator. As the machines prepare to start their takeoff runs (below), Hackl's Kommandeur machine ('chevron triangle') can be seen far left with the all-white tailfin. See pages 225-227 'Jagdflugzeug 190' (Rodeike, Struve)

Oblt. Hans Kriegel, Lt. Felix Brandis, 'German eagle hunting the British lion' - ebay photo find #378

 

Note the 'Dita 13' on the nose above - usual marking of Oblt. Hans Kriegel, StaKa of 7./ZG 76 who was WIA in Bf 110 C-4 "2N+DR" in combat with a 252 Sqd Beaufighter on 28 June 1941. Kriegel was later Kommandeur IV./JG 5  (thanks to regular blog visitor Mr. Davis for spotting this one)

Emblem of 7./ZG 76 on the nose of the Bf 110 flown by Lt. Felix Brandis - image below shows him dismounting after his 3rd victory on June 1, 1941 and previously published in the JG 5 Special album ('Luftwaffe Gallery')

Peter Neuwerth's site has a page of photos of Kriegel's Bf 110s and Bf 109s here

Bf 109 aces - Hptm. Paul Schauder JG 26

 

Born in Munich on 27 April 1921, Paul Schauder was studying architecture when he was called up for the army. Like many of his comrades, he wanted to become an aviator. After training as a fighter pilot he was posted to 3./JG 26 at the beginning of 1941. He took advantage of the RAF's so-called 'Non-stop Offensive' of 1941 to open and then build up his score (9 victories). In December 1942 he was promoted to Kapitän of 11./JG 26. His command lasted only a month, however, as he was called up to the Stab II./JG 26 before taking over command of 9./JG 26 in May 1942. On the 23rd of that month, III./JG 26 shifted to northern Germany, where Schauder shot down his first first B-17. Back in the Netherlands and then to France, Schauder scored another victory over the RAF before seeing his 9./JG 26 renamed 10th Staffel. 1944 saw him fighting over France and, in the weeks following the landings in June 1944, he was one of the pilots to be credited with three air victories over Normandy, including a 354th FG P-51 on 17 July. Having taken temporary command of III./JG 26 at the end of 1944, Hptm Schauder was officially promoted to Kommandeur, claimed his 21st and last victory over Germany on 21 April 1945, a 3 Sqd Tempest near Perleberg. On 1 May 1945, he was shot down and captured. According to one source, he was a victim of anti-aircraft fire; he also claimed to have hit a P-38. In June 1945, he took advantage of a passing truck loaded with liberated POWs to clamber into the vehicle. Having ‘escaped’ in this way, he was soon reunited with his family. After the war, he resumed his pre-war activity but eventually joined the Bundesluftwaffe. Paul Schauder died in his home town on 22 January 2004.

Lt.Paul Schauder (3./JG 26) supervises the application of a victory bar on the rudder of his Friedrich.

There are currently 182 Bf 109 ace biographies on this blog, most featuring rare photos and personal accounts.

Fw 190 Dora 9 'blue 12' by 'kov1985'

 

Fw 190 D-9 "Blue 12" WNr. 500570 of II./JG 6 surrendered to elements of the U.S. 10th Photo Reconnaissance Group at Fürth, near Nürnberg on 8 May 1945

" ..This one is finally off my bench after a few months of work, my rendition of the 'famous' “blue 12” which surrendered at Fürth in May 1945. I used the Hasegawa 1/32 Dora -9 with Quickboost cowling, spinner and prop, Quinta studio cockpit interior, Hgw seatbelts, eduard brassin flaps, 1 Man Army stencil masks. Some small bits I took some artistic license, but I’ll get into that later...".

"..there are plenty of pics of this aircraft that are available, as well as a few that come with the Eaglecals decal set. However I’m less impressed with the Eaglecals set as I intended to only use the serial number, the “E9”, and the “12”. However for some reason, the “1” is smaller than the “2” in the 12. It makes no sense why they’ve done that as every photo I’ve seen of the thing doesn’t show this. Hence I made my own mask for that by painstakingly drawing and cutting it out of paper, tracing onto masking sheet and cutting that out. To make things worse I botched its placement on first go and had to use the mask 3 times…"

"..The colours of blue 12? Experts on the subject lean towards the top of the wings being 77/81, or 76/81, however in my honest opinion that may have well been the case for later Mimetall machines. My theory is that early ones such as 570 here had the standard grey wings, which were then painted 81 on the underside, either by factory or at unit level until Mimetall found their “groove” and painted the whole thing in 81 etc. My source for this theory being machine 581 (only a few airframes from blue 12) clearly having the grey tops, but notice landing gear doors being that dark colour still indicating to me RLM 81, which can clearly be seen also on the famous colour photo of blue 12.."

Thanks to Casey for his superb model images!

Bf 109 Gustav WNr. 20790 in Wunstorf - not a 'one-off'

Captured G-6s in unusual camo finish - possibly late-war 'greens' with an RLM 02 mottle. Below; WNr. 20790 visible on the tail fin of the machine closest to the camera with a second similarly camouflaged machine behind. These are 'rebuilds' of older airframes.

See pages 84-85 of 'Bf 109 - the latter years' (Goss) for more pictures of these machines. Seen at Fassberg according to the book caption, although A.I.2(g)/131 via Michael Balss states Wunstorf.

Anders Hjortsberg profile and camouflage comments here