KITS 07/2021

Bf 109E-1, WNr. 3771, flown by Fw. Ernst Arnold, 3./JG 27, Peuplingues, France, August 1940

Fw. Arnold was shot down in the late afternoon on August 30 during free hunt sortie over England. The I./JG 27 formation was

attacked by RAF fighters and Arnold´s “Emil” was hit in radiator, possibly by F/O B. J. G. Carbury of No. 603 Squadron. He had

performed belly-landing at Westwood Court, near Faversham, Kent and his Aircraft was placed on display in Exeter as the

fundraising motivation element. Africa emblem of I./JG 27 was introduced in late spring 1940 as reminder of German African

colonies lost after Great War. The scissors (in German language “Schere”) and the “r” letter are play on the name of former

Schwarmführer and within the 3. Staffel popular Lt. Ulrich Scherer. He was declared missing after combat with Hurricanes of

No. 615 Sqn. near Cherbourg on July 20. The unit lost Gruppenkommandeur Hptm. Helmut Riegel during the same combat. Staffelkapitän of 3./JG 27 was future Knight Cross recipient Oblt. Gerhard Homuth who was later successfully leading I./JG 27 in Africa. Homuth scored 15 victories during 1940 and his final score resulting from 450 combat missions counted 63 aerial victories.

Homuth was engaged in a 20-minutes dogfight with Russian fighters on August 2, 1943, and remains missing from that time on…

Bf 109E-1, WNr. 3417, Gefr. Erich Mummert, 4./JG 52, Peuplingues, France, September 1940

This Messerschmitt saw very long career, being manufactured by Arado company in the late summer or early autumn 1939. Its

camouflage consists of RLM 71, 02 and 65 and probably went through several changes. It cannot be ruled out the aircraft was

finished in the RLM 70/71 scheme on upper surfaces originally. Probably due to error, the JG 52 kept this aircraft in books as the

E-4 variant. Red cat emblem was introduced as unit badge in 1939 when the Staffel carried designation 1./JG 71. Erich Mummert

was shot down with this “Emil” on September 30 in the afternoon during bomber escort mission. Six JG 52 fighters had been

attacked by Spitfires and tried to form a defensive circle. But Germans were running out of fuel and had to abandon the combat

soon. Being pursued by Spitfires the combat got slightly chaotic for Germans and Mummert´s aircraft was hit in radiator by the

“friendly” fire of another Bf 109. Mummert performed belly-landing on the edge of Detling airfield. Another II./JG 52 pilot was also

shot down and bailed out, being captured near Detling as well. Commander of 4./JG 52 was the legendary Johannes Steinhoff,

the man, who acted as Kommodore of the Jagdgeschwader 7 flying with Me 262s and later joined Adolf Galland and his elite

Jagdverband 44.

Bf 109E-4, WNr. 5375, Hptm. Wilhelm Meyerweissflog, Stab JG 53, Etaples, France, September 1940

Wilhelm Meyerweissflog was born in 1889 and served in military during Great War. It is assumed he lived in Switzerland after the

war and travelled to USA as businessman regularly. In the ranks of the JG 53 “Pik As” he was acting as an administrative officer

of Geschwaderstab. His aircraft was photographed during refueling at former British airbase La Villiaze, Guernsey, part of occupied Channel Islands. Meyerweissflog was captured on September 5, 1940. During interrogation he said: “Saw the boys going

off and thought he would like a flip too. He jumped into his aircraft, flew vaguely in the direction of England and was neatly shot

through the petrol tank by a British fighter," probably by F/Lt. P. C. Hughes flying Spitfire of No. 234 Sqn. Hptm. Meyerweissflog

made a forced landing at Monkton farm near St. Nicholas-at-Wade at 15.45 hrs “from which more by luck than good judgement

he came out safely and, when apprehended, had not the slightest idea where he was”. To further quote the interrogation report,

his start and mission were described as a “Very freelance patrol”, and his morale as “Good under trying circumstances”.

INFO Eduard - July 2021

eduard

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