Estonian luftwaffe pilot sinks soviet sub !!!!!

[MottlakeSOT]

I have a new "grand-father-in-law'! He was in the Estonian air force, then joined the Luftwaffe when hi unit was absorbed, after the Soviets pulled out. Flew missions over the Baltic sea, then was transferred to the west in the last year of the war. He was shot down and was a prisoner of the Americans. After release he searched DP camps across Europe looking for his wife (...imagine doing that without cell phones, GPS, TV and the internet!), then had his family driven out of Estonia by the communists after they had tried to settle back to normal life.
I am told that, at 95, he is quite proud of his service and loves to talk about missions, even if he can't remember lunch. If anyone has particular questions, PM me. I am going to gather as much pertinent info as I can, as he has been having a rough time lately.
Mike

[Dimas]

Very interesting, can you ask hiom more about the sinking the boot and also, where he served, at the Lasnamae Lennuvali or at the Ulemiste jarv , which type of the planes they use and history of his service.

[guns ltd]

Did He find his wife? great to see someone still around that can tell us some of there war time Experiences.. I will be looking forward to reading about them I hope.
Thanks,


John

[Frundsberg]

Very interesting! Can You tell me his name? There were quite a few Estonians in Luftwaffe.

[harryamb2]

give him our regards.

[Paul D]

Very interesting , i'm looking forward to hearing more , did he fly any missions during the Narva fighting and if he did what can he recall about them ?

regards

Paul

[Dimas]

Known submarines of Baltic fleet sunk by air attacks are :
M-74 for the period of death- stay on the conservation in the Kronstadt harbor, 23 september, 1941 year
M-95, got damages at 15 june, 1942 after explosion on the mine in the Suursaari area, being return to the base, without possibility to sink , killed by Finnish plane, 14 of the crewmen is KIA
Schya-302, "Oukhoo'n" exploded on the mine line " Seeigel" northern of Suur Tütrassaari, in 11-13 october, 1942' lost running condition and floating in the area , 14 October has been attacked by Finnish aviation. 37 of the crewmen KIA
Schya- 406 , killed by Finnish minesweeper " Riilahti" and a German plane " Ar- 196" . 39 men KIA

That is all known u boats sink by the planes on the Baltic fleet. Most of them exploded on the minefields or destroyed by ships
I have a full list of them, can translate it if someone interested

[Dimas]

Very interesting! Can You tell me his name? There were quite a few Estonians in Luftwaffe.

You mean as a pilots, but as a support service, as a technicians, airfield workers, and the mashinegunners at He- 111, and Ju -88 - quite a lot.

[MottlakeSOT]

Dimas,
As I am just starting on this project, my hunches with go with the 95 year old gentleman, former Hapt. Ewald A Stein, leaning over the table, wryly smiling, holding up seven fingers at my query. Perhaps it included other craft, but he had laughingly described how they had discovered that tracking the oil slicks could lead them to a sub, and the results. Maybe they may have been damaged by mines already, but he spoke of the common knowledge shared by his fliers that poor maintenance/ poor construction, led to the easy discovery of Russian subs. More meetings and family gatherings will certainly yield more.
He entered the LW in late 41, flying in 42, later teaching Navigation at the Estonian/Latvian flying school established in-country. His first graduating class went off to the Narva fighting, and he requested a transfer to the front, to Narva as well. He had a small album with service photos, in front of an Arado, by a trainer aircraft, in his fliegerbluse (with what seemed to be a dive bomber clasp)... We looked through his office for a "large" photo album, but if not there, it is at his home in California. I will have copies of what he has now, between Christmas and New Years. Behind his office door is a 11" x 18" head and shoulders photo of himself in bluse and visor cap. A proud man indeed.
The records you speak of, are they soviet or German? Someone else? I have written him, and asked for some basic unit info, what he may recall. I have a belief that more will come from the other photos, hopefully of aircraft (with markings) and base buildings..
The quest is only begun!
Mike

[Dimas]

The records is from Russian archive, but they are real, I have all records and can translate them, there no more huge hidden fleets which could make a bigger battle report. A couple of minor wins in Baltic submarine fleet after 1944 year didn't make a huge historical interest in the WW2 Submarines war, as their most activity was turned in the beginning of 1945 year. Most of the submarines served in the northern part, due German/Finns was fully closed the gulf with mine fields in 1941 year ( The Tallinn-Kronstatd evacuation is a bigger ship loss in the world history Soviet evacuation of Tallinn - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)
, and in 1942 year Germans fully deactivate Baltic fleet with mine fields for submarines and other ships, fully blockade the ability to entrance from the Leningrad area. only after the Finland discontinued the war in 1944 year, Finns and Soviets began cleaning the see from the mines
Other way if the sub is going underwater, there no oil stainings will be visible.
Estonian pilots fly in old biplanes as a night bombers/ reconnaisance, with short range flight. And most of the operations was trough 1944 year, when the front moved approx 200 km from their base.