Me 109`s in Russia

[zwerge]

Some that never made it back to Germany.

[big ned]

Hi Zwerge,
Nice pictures! The first one is especially interesting to me.
It shows a Bf 109 F2 of 1/JG3 "Udet". It appears to have made a forced landing, and shows signs of combat damage to the tail. This has got me thinking about a young german pilot who has been missing in combat for almost 68 years. This is what I know:
Oberfeldwebel Heinz Schmidt went MIA on the 20th July 1941 flying Bf 109 F2 W/n 8980 'Yellow 4' somewhere over the Ukraine. He was seen to sustain an A.A. hit. The aircraft in your photo looks identical to his! It shows the "Tatzelwurm"emblem of 1/JG3,each staffel had a different colour "Tatzelwurm" red, green, white and yellow. Schmidt's was the latter. I think the shade on the photo can't be red or green, it's too light, and not light enough to be white! It also has a fuselage band that would have been the same colour as the worm. The camoflauge pattern is mottled, as for his aircraft whereas others on his staffel were painted in a 'wave' pattern. The wingtips and under side of the nose were also yellow. The clear damage to the tail, could it be a flak hit? Could the pilot have force landed and then been captured? Or perhaps he was killed trying to make it back to german lines? We will never know, but your photo really got me thinking. The coincidences are eerily uncanny, could it have been him?

Regards, Ned.

[Dimas]

Very interesting thread guys, Big Ned, thanks for story.
Is there was 2 Heinz Schmidt's?
Here is the picture of other german pilot Heinz Schmidt

[zwerge]

Hi Ned,here`s another pic for you,and of course you know there is no such thing as a Tatzelwurm.

[big ned]

Hi Dimas,
You're correct, there were two Heinz Schmidts. The one in your photo is Oberleutnant Heinz Schmidt of 6/JG52. He was awarded the Knights Cross of the Iron Cross on the 23rd of August 1942 for 51 victories gained in France, the Battle of Britain and laterly, Operation Barbarossa. Unbelievebly, three weeks later he had shot down a further 51 aircraft!! He was immeadiately awarded the Oak Leaves to his Knights Cross.
Schmidt was made commander of 6/JG52 in August 1943. On the 5th September 1943, Heinz 'Johnny' Schmidt was shot down in error near a town named Marker on the eastern front by a Hungarian fighter. He is listed MIA to this day. 'Johnny' Schmidt was credited with 173 victories, he was posthumously promoted to Hauptmann.

Regards, Ned.

[big ned]

Hi Zwerge,
Another great photo !! Where do you find them? This one shows Hauptmann Hans von Hahn who was made Gruppen Kommandeur of 1/JG3 on the 27th of August 1940. He served on the Eastern Front from the first day of the attack on the Soviet Union.
Following accusations for abuse against subordinates, von Hahn was relieved of his command in June 1942. By April 1945 he was considered rehabilitated enough to be appointed commander of fighter units in upper Italy.
Hans von Hahn died at his home in Frankfurt on November 5th 1957, he was aged 43. His final victory tally was 34. He is not to be confused with famous Oak Leaves Holder Hans 'Assi' Hahn.
Indeed the Tutzel worm is not real! It's a mythical creature from medieval times. It was believed to live in the mountains of Austria, Switzerland and Germany and breathed fire. In the 1930's it was ressurected as a German comic strip where he constantly harrassed an irate farmer who could never do away with the evil worm. This stylised image was chosen by the pilots of 1/JG3, a nasty worm with a tendency for mischief.

[zwerge]

You can see the insignia better in this pic. On Google you can find everything.

[big ned]

Hi again Zwerge!,
The second photo is clearer than the first! Both were obviously taken on the same day, but why was the emblem under the canopy missing on the first picture, censorship perhaps? It appears to show a cockerels head on a shield. I will endevour to find out it's provenance another day as it's getting a bit late now.
Your dead right about the internet, it is a wonderful thing!! But seven and a half grands worth of books, twenty two years of acute interest, coupled with the will to search all avenues for a correct or plausible answer for hours on end has a lot to be said for as well. I am still trying to prove my original theory for the photo you posted to start this thread. I think it is very plausible as the coincidences of the picture to the known facts, although probablyforever clouded by the passing of time,remain compelling.

Kindest Regards, Ned.


P.s. I just love the fuselage cammo on von Hahn's aircraft,the Mysterons always scared the s**t out of me as a kid!!!

[zwerge]

Hi Ned, the shield under the canopy is there in the first pic, if you magnify the pic you can just see it, must be the way the sun is shining on it.

[big ned]

GOT IT!!!
Here is a modern interpretation of the aircraft flown by Heinz Schmidt on the day he went MIA. What do you guys think? For me it is the same aircraft!! Please, all comments are most welcome either way!!

Regards, Ned.