Operations in late April 1945 (Pages 169–171)

23 April 1945

Evening report of 23 April. Nachtschlacht aircraft operating, details still outstanding.

24/25 April 1945

Morning report of 25 April. NSG 9, 21 aircraft, operation against enemy targets in the central sector of the front. 1 man injured, 1 aircraft damaged. 1 Ju 188 carried out special task.

The damaged aircraft was possibly from 3./NSG 9: the Ju 87 of Lt. Peter Stollwerck and Uffz. Franz Fischer (See "Ghost Bombers" pages 160, 170 & 199).

"Special task" is the usual term for an agent-dropping mission by a Ju 188 of 4./KG 200's Kommando Carmen which was based at Bergamo. (See "Air War Italy 1944-45")

25/26 April 1945

Morning report of 26 April. NSG 9, 12 Ju 87 and 2 Fw 190: attack on traffic crossing over the Po near Ostiglia (SSE of Mantova) and supply traffic in the same area with observation of special effects. Losses: 2 men killed, 1 aircraft destroyed.

The losses on this mission are probably those of Lt. Friedrich Müller and his crewman. Obgfr. Lothar Görtz, in a Ju 87 of 2./NSG 9. (See "Ghost Bombers" pages 172 & 199).

New sources: Information via Christian Möller from a handful of Luftwaffe Western Front situation reports surviving in the Bundesarchiv-Militärarchiv, Freiburg-im-Breisgau which also mention operations in Italy.

These reports provide sortie and loss figures (although these last may not be complete) not revealed by other sources for the operations concerned.