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Info Eduard - November 2010
Page 11
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Ds with red undersides and
white stripes, without a doubt, are among the most
recognized aircraft of the Luftwaffe. I would say that most
people who have a level of interest in the German air
force are able to place these distinctly decorated aircraft
with Galland’s Jagdverband JV 44. The commanding
officer of the unit employing these brightly painted
birds in the closing weeks of the war was Heinz ‘Heino’
Sachsenberg. This was not your average, run of the mill
fighter pilot, and after a detailed overview of his career,
it will become clear why he had been so well suited to
command such dangerous mission as his protection flight
was tasked with, at a time when the sky over Bavaria was
essentially and exclusively controlled by the American air
force.
That Heinz Sachsenberg became a fighter pilot was
no accident. His older brother Gotthard was also a fighter
pilot, and could be considered both an inspiration and
a rival. Their uncle, also named Gotthard, was one of the
best known figures in the German naval air force during
The Great War. During his career, he gained 31 aerial
victories, was awarded the Pour le Mérite, and served as
CO of the first naval fighter unit in the Emperor’s air force.
In 1919, he participated in the fighting against Bolshevism
with a unit that bore his name. Later, his attention was not
only focused on aviation, but also to the construction of
hydrofoils. He became a member of the Reichstag, and
his anti-war stance and disputes with the Nazis nearly
cost him his life in the thirties. There were some other
members of Sachsenberg family active in German
aviation, even after WW II. One of them was Wilhelm
Sachsenberg (born 1904), co-author of several books
including the title “Unser Ozeanflug”. After the WW II he
became member of management of Deutscher Luftfahrt-
Beratungsdienst (DLB, representing, among other firms,
also Cessna company). Before WW II he introduced to
HISTORIE
aviation a German girl named Beate Köstlin. This aviation
legend is nowadays known as Beate Uhse-Rotermund.
During WW II she joined Luftwaffe as a ferry pilot. After
the war she established world known company active
in erotic business.
BROTHER GOTTHARD THE NIGHTFIGHTER
So far, unfortunately, I don’t have a lot on Gotthard. He was
born in Dessau in 1919, and his name was likely influenced
by his young uncle who was at the peak of his career and
hailed from the same town. He became an officer in the air
force, underwent nightfighter training, and began his service
with 5. Staffel II. Gruppe Nachtjagdgeschwader 3 (II./NJG 3)
at Schleswig. Up to August, 1943, this Gruppe was led by
Hptm. Günther Radusch (65 victories). After him, this duty
fell to the legendary Maj. Heinrich Prinz zu Sayn-Wittgenstein
(83 victories) who not only became the second most successful
night fighter pilot of the Luftwaffe, but also a well known hunter
of ladies’ hearts. Gotthard’s immediate superior, in other words
the 5. Staffel CO, was for most of 1943, Hptm. Paul Szameitat
(29 victories).
Originally, II./NJG 3 was equipped with several versions
of the -110. In the winter of 1942/43, much of the inventory
was made up of the Dornier Do 217. These were replaced in
the summer of 1943 with a night fighter version of the Ju 88,
the C-6.
During the period of Gotthard’s service with 5./NJG 3, there
are two known kills, that were gained in night combat in 1943.
The first was on July 25, and was a Lancaster shot down over
the ocean at 0115h near Sankt Peter Ording. Apparently, this
was Lancaster III (ED 878) of 103 Sqd, RAF, with the call letters
PM-V. The crew led, by W/O Felix F. O’Hanlon, did not survive.
His second victim was a Halifax. Gotthard Sachsenberg shot
that down on July 30, shortly before 0100h near Todesfelde.
The Halifax was likely from 102 Sqd. RAF, and was piloted by
twenty-two-year-old F/S Thomas Albert Macquarie and carried
the code DY-R (W7883). None of the crew from this flight,
who were on their first combat mission, survived. As a point of
interest, younger brother Heinz had by this time 22 kills to his
credit on the Eastern Front.
At the end of 1943 and the beginning of 1944, the twin-
engined night fighters were used when possible to intercept
daylight raids performed by American four engined bombers.