FW190d in old footage...

[rlgdestroyu]

I'm no expert, but I was watching this video on YouTube, and in it was a downed FW190d model with what appeared to be markings of 13 and the number 50 on the tail. Curious if someone can identify the unit and model....at about 1:20 into the video.

Here is the link:


View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHKj3CZK3WY

 

[stona]

It is a Fw 190 D-9, W.Nr. 500093. It was coded "Yellow 13" and was with 3./JG 26. The pilot, Obgefr. Dieter Krageloh made a crash landing following damage to the propeller caused by British naval AA fire as he crossed the Schelde estuary on Ist January 1945. Severe vibration forced him to shut down his engine. He was part of Operation Bodenplatte, it was his fifth operational mission and first on the Dora. The aircraft came down near Waasmunster in Belgium.
The crash landing was a hard one and Krageloh broke his spine. He was freed from the cockpit by a British officer and some local people and eventually made a full recovery.
The aircraft had only recently been delivered to JG 26. The white number on the rudder is a delivery number of the type used after the order to no longer apply the stammkenzeichen for delivery flights.
This aircraft features in a British Crashed Enemy Aircraft Report and a couple of intelligence reports, including Krageloh's interrogation.
Cheers
Steve

 

[rlgdestroyu]

Thanks Steve! Appreciate the info, have you seen this footage before?

 

[Airframes]

Good stuff Steve. I have my doubts that the first 55 seconds or so of aerial footage were actually during Bodenplatte. More likely 'stock footage. Note the higher altitudes, lack of snow in some frames, and at least one clip (FW190A) being attributed to either a P-47 or P-51 over southern Germany.
Obviously the ground footage is the detritus of Bodenplatte, probably a week or more after the event.

 

[rlgdestroyu]

I don't see much footage of the Dora's, but I do enjoy catching it. To Airframes, you gotta love propaganda films for accuracy!!

 

[stona]

Thanks Steve! Appreciate the info, have you seen this footage before?

Possibly, but I don't remember it. I've seen at least one series of stills taken from it.
Dieter Kragelow was a lucky man. If you look at starboard side of the aircraft you can see a hole in the cockpit area, hacked by the rescuers, through which he was extracted.

There was a Belgian doctor present who treated him before the British took him to a hospital in Ghent. He was then taken to England for further treatment resulting in a complete recovery. He eventually returned to his home town of Saarbrucken and became a successful architect.
It's probably a good job his flying career ended. He had previously crashed in October 1944 as he neared the end of his fighter training, suffering a fractured skull. He was also injured on 23rd December 1944 when he crash landed a Fw 190 A-8 following combat with Thunderbolts from the 56th FG. Had he survived "Bodenplatte" he might not have survived the war.

"Yellow 13" is one of my model projects which has been a long time in the offing. I will get around to it one day!

Cheers

Steve

 

[Airframes]

More good info Steve. He certainly was a lucky man, and I'd guess grateful to be captured and treated so well.

 

[Wayne Little]

Possibly, but I don't remember it. I've seen at least one series of stills taken from it.
Dieter Kragelow was a lucky man. If you look at starboard side of the aircraft you can see a hole in the cockpit area, hacked by the rescuers, through which he was extracted.

There was a Belgian doctor present who treated him before the British took him to a hospital in Ghent. He was then taken to England for further treatment resulting in a complete recovery. He eventually returned to his home town of Saarbrucken and became a successful architect.
It's probably a good job his flying career ended. He had previously crashed in October 1944 as he neared the end of his fighter training, suffering a fractured skull. He was also injured on 23rd December 1944 when he crash landed a Fw 190 A-8 following combat with Thunderbolts from the 56th FG. Had he survived "Bodenplatte" he might not have survived the war.

"Yellow 13" is one of my model projects which has been a long time in the offing. I will get around to it one day!

Cheers

Steve

On my List too Steve....;thumbright:

Bought Kagero Top Colours #13 specifically for this bird!

 

[stona]

On my List too Steve....;thumbright:
Bought Kagero Top Colours #13 specifically for this bird!

I've got a couple of the Hasegawa 1/32 kits somewhere! JaPo, from where most of that info comes, did a slightly suspect profile. I'll work something out from that, what we know about the Mimetall built aircraft around 500093, and of course the trusty spares box. I will probably get some custom built masks for the markings.

Cheers

Steve

 

[rlgdestroyu]

For the guys into IL2 sims, someone made this "skin" for this ac.

Fw-190D9, WNr 500093, Yellow 13, 3./JG 26 Bodenplatte / Fw-190 Focke-Wulf / Downloads - Axis and Allies Paintworks

Not sure how accurate it is though.

I love this forum, I don't post much but there is such a wealth of knowledge.

What armament did this ac come with?

 

[stona]

I think that skin is a very good interpretation of what we know about this particular aircraft and more generally Mimetall built aircraft in the werknummer range. My planned model is not a million miles away from that. The underside of the wing is an interesting area which I can't see in those pictures.

The armament would have been the standard 2 x MG 131 machine guns in the cowl and 2 x MK 151/20 cannon in the wing roots. I vaguely remember the British report mentioning a "bomb slip" which means an ETC bomb rack under the fuselage but haven't checked.

Cheers

Steve

 

[rlgdestroyu]

Very cool info. I certainly like the look of this particular ac. As far as the pilot goes, we're these ac tricky to fly? Or was this also during the rush to put pilots on the front with sub-standard training?

 

[stona]

It was not considered a difficult aircraft to fly. Most first hand accounts come from experienced pilots who, after some initial reservations, were generally enthusiastic about the type.

Kragelow had only joined JG 26 in November, direct from fighter training school. He was shot down on only his fifth operational mission. You can be sure that qualifying at this time he would be very poorly trained, certainly by allied standards. Typically a new Luftwaffe pilot at this time would have around 100 total flying hours and very few, 10 if lucky, on an operational type. That compares with 400 total and 150 on operational types for his US counterpart.

Cheers

Steve

 

[Wayne Little]

Yep I like the look of that skin too...