Me 262 B-1a/U1 Red 8

Wednesday, July 22, 2015

Junkers 88 G-6 at München-Brunnthal

In an attempt to reduce the impact of allied fighters strafing its airfields and destroying parked aircraft, the Luftwaffe started to build satellite landing fields and associated aircraft shelters in near-by woods. To add to the existing Munich area airfields München Riem, Neubiberg and Oberschleissheim, in May 1944 a stretch of autobahn as well as a flat agricultural area near Brunnthal south of München was turned into landing strips with adjacent repair facilities, accommodations and aircraft boxes cut into wooded areas, Loy (2010), p.41-43.

In 1945, V./NJG2 used Brunnthal and by the end of the hostilities, quite a number of its aircraft were located there (V./NJG2 originated from crews of III./KG 2 and was formed in December 1944). Other aircraft from this unit are known from photos to have ended up at Neubiberg on the southwestern outskirts of München and north of Brunnthal. After the war, a US disarmament unit commenced to gather all aircraft in the vicinity of Brunnthal at a single collection point. This site, adjacent to the autobahn, became a very attractive magnet to US soldiers and locals alike, providing us today with numerous photographs showing a great number of aircraft. Of particular interest and value is an aerial photograph covering the complete scrap yard. Originally published in Norbert Loy’s 2010 Jet & Prop article, I have added numbers to identify the individual aircraft.

source: Loy (2010), p.43

This article concerns itself only with Ju88G-6 found at Brunnthal. Examining available published and internet photographs, it appears that 14 Ju88G-6 were dispersed across the field, and at least 15 destroyed or burnt-out Ju88G wrecks were strewn across the scrap heap of at the west corner of the collection point.

The list below is my attempt to correctly identify the Ju88G-6 night fighters at Brunnthal using photographic evidence. However, in several instances, information shown by photographs is ambiguous. In those instances, I call out under comments the results of my interpretation. There will be misinterpretations, and there are gaps; any corrections, additions and differing views are very welcome.

I would like to express my gratitude and to acknowledge once more David E. Brown's valuable review and contribution to this article.


NO.
W.NR.
UNIT MARKING
MAIN SOURCE
COMMENTS
3
621353
Number “5” on tail plane; likely V./NJG2
Jet & Prop (1996) p.35 
Werknummer confirmed, association with #3 almost certain. Unit not confirmed, but usage of numbers on tail plane consistent with other V./NJG2 aircraft
8
622345
U5+OT
V./NJG2
Green (2006) p.29
Internet photos
Werknummer almost certain, discernible from photograph
11
621650
n/a

Werknummer confirmed
12
620154
n/a
Gaemperle (2011) p.13
Internet photos
Werknummer confirmed
15
622901
U5+GT
V./NJG2
Internet photos
Werknummer confirmed. Clearly identified through Bf110 next to it.
21
621602
number “9” on tail plane
V./NJG2 

V./NJG2 Flugbuch entries confirm usage of aircraft marked “9” 
22
62- - - -
n/a

Possibly 620154, Werknummer confirmed at Brunnthal, association with #22 uncertain
23
62- - - -
n/a
Gaemperle (2011) p.53

24
62- - - -
n/a


29
622322
U5+NT
V./NJG2
Gaemperle (2011) p.54
Internet photos
Werknummer confirmed
30
62- - - -
U5+FT
V./NJG2
Green (2006) p.29

38
621591
number “24” on tail plane
Likely V./NJG2 
Green (2006) p.29
Werknummer confirmed. Unit not confirmed, but usage of numbers on tail plane in line with other V./NJG2 aircraft
41
62295-
U5+AT
V./NJG2
According to Steve Sheflin, Werknummer is 622951.
48
622990
U5+DT
V./NJG2
Loy (2010), p.46
Internet photos.
It seems that on this aircraft, the Werknummer was changed to 623998 (Gaemperle (2011), p.52 and 53) and photographs show the original number with the peeled away newer number.



Viewed from the south-west corner of the scrap heap (see below), eight Ju88G-6 tail planes are discernible and the following can be identified:

Aircraft No.
Werknummer
Comments
10
none
No Werknummer, washed out Hakenkreuz (Number partially illegible, could also be “19”)
--
621328
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only with SN2 tail marking – “VI”.
--
620426
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only with SN2 tail marking – “V/DR”.
--
621439
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only.
4
62- - - -
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only with Werknummer burnt-off.
--
622314
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only.

Viewed from the north-east corner - close to the Ju290 - at least another seven Ju88G-6 tail planes can been seen. The following Werknummern have been identified by Crandall (2011) p.7:

Aircraft No.
Werknummer
Comments
--
622124
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only.
--
622958
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only.
--
623213
Burnt-out or destroyed wreck, tail plane only.

source: expired ebay auction

SOURCES:

Brown, David E., Poruba, Tomas, & Vladar, Jan, 2012
Messerschmitt Me 262 Production & Arado Ar 234 Final Operations – Luftwaffe Over Czech Territory 1945 IV.
JaPo, Prague, 158p.

Crandall, Jerry, 2011
Wings of the Black Cross - Number 7.
Eagle Editions, Hamilton, 36p.

Gaemperle, Roger S., 2011
Captured Eagles: German WWII Aircraft Captured by the Allies - Volume 1
Vintage Eagle, Zurich, 70p.

Green, Brett, 2006
Götterdämmerung: Luftwaffe Wrecks and Relics Number 1.
Ian Allen, Hersham, 96p.

Janowicz, Krzysztof, 2006
Monograph 15: Junkers Ju 88 Volume III.
Kagero, Lublin, 140p.

Jet & Prop, 1996
Foto-Archiv Band 6 – Spezial-Ausgabe: Mai 1945 Die Luftwaffe Kapituliert.
VDM Heinz Nickel, Zweibrucken, 98p.

Loy, Norbert, 2010
Feldflugplatz Brunnthal: Ausweich und Schattenplatz im Landkreis München 1944-1945.
Jet & Prop, 04/2010, p.41-47.

Proulx, Mark, 2007
Wings of the Black Cross - Number Four.
Eagle Editions, Hamilton, 36p.