The Me 262 Stormbird: From the Pilots Who Flew, Fought, and Survived It

Date Mar. 20, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 110598

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Ogfr Fritz Gehlker*

Date Mar. 20, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 501196

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Ofw Erich Buttner+

Date Mar. 20, 1945

Unit 3/JG-7

Cause Damaged

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Hans-Dieter Weihs

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 500462

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Uffz Kurt Kolbe*

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit 11/JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 110819

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Joachim Weber*

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Unk.+

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Unk.+

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit 3/KG-51

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 111973

A/C ID 9K+AL

Pilot Hptm Eberhard Winkel*

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit I./KG-51

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 170118

A/C ID 9K+CK

Pilot Lt Erwin Dickmann*

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit I./KG-51

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 111605

A/C ID 9K+DL

Pilot Uffz Heinz Erben*

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit I./KG-54

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 500069

A/C ID B3+CH

Pilot Uffz Willie Ehrecke*

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit III./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit III./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 21, 1945

Unit JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Unk.*

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Unk.*

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Unk.+

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit Stab/KG-54

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Oblt König*

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit Stab/KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit I./KG-54

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 110602

A/C ID B3+DK

Pilot Uffz Adalbert Egri+

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit I./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit I./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit I./KG-54

Cause Bombed^

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit I./KG-54

Cause Bombed^

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit II./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit II./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit II./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit 10/EJG-2

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 110485

A/C ID NS+BM

Pilot Ofw Helmut Reckers*

Date Mar. 22, 1945

Unit 9/JG-7

Cause Shot down[42]

Wk Nr 110999

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Alfred Ambs+

Date Mar. 24, 1945

Unit 11/JG-7

Cause Damaged combat

Wk Nr 110968

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Uffz Ernst Giefing

Date Mar. 24, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down[43]

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Oblt Franz Külp +

Date Mar. 24, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down[44]

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Oblt Ernst Wörner*

Date Mar. 24, 1945

Unit III./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 24, 1945

Unit III./KG-54

Cause Bombed

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot None/Static

Date Mar. 24, 1945

Unit 9/JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Oblt Schatzle*

Date Mar. 25, 1945

Unit 9/JG-7

Cause Shot down[45]

Wk Nr 110796

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Fhr Günther Ulrich*

Date Mar. 25, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down[46]

Wk Nr 110834

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Günther von Rettberg*

Date Mar. 25, 1945

Unit 10/JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr 111738

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Fw Fritz Taube*

Date Mar. 25, 1945

Unit 3/JG-7

Cause Damaged combat

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Hans-Dieter Weihs

Date Mar. 27, 1945

Unit 11/JG-7

Cause Damaged[47]

Wk Nr 111541

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Ofw August Lübking*

Date Mar. 28, 1945

Unit 2/JG-7

Cause Shot down[48]

Wk Nr 111593

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Erich Schulte*

Date Mar. 30, 1945

Unit 11/JG-7

Cause Shot down[49]

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Lt Karl Schnörrer+

Date Mar. 30, 1945

Unit JG-7

Cause Shot down

Wk Nr Unk.

A/C ID N/A

Pilot Fw Geisthovel

Date Mar. 30, 1945

Unit Test Unit

Cause Captured

Wk Nr 111711

A/C ID N/A

38

Shot down 1st Lt. Earl R. Lane shot down in Me 262 “Yellow 3,” bailed out at 17,000 feet, landed in tree.

39

Shot down by 1st Lt. Roscoe Brown.

40

Shot down by 2nd Lt. Charles V. Brantley.

41

Ulrich was shot up by a fighter near Parchim, bailed out. Report was that he was strafed in his parachute.

42

Rettberg died in his fighter, Ulrich was his wingman. They were jumped by many fighters as they broke off the attack on a bomber formation.

43

Pilot killed when his Me 262 fired rockets into a B-17. Bomber exploded, destroying the jet, sending it out of control.

44

Body found in wreckage.

45

Schnörrer and Oberfähnrich Viktor Petermann (sixty-four victories, Knight’s Cross) intercepted USAAF four-engine bombers over Hamburg. Schnörrer claimed two B-17s shot down, but his Me 262 was hit by crossfire from the bombers. He was intercepted by P-51s. Damaged, he bailed out, striking the tail fin (leg amputation in hospital) and managed to open his parachute and land safely. This was his last mission, severely wounded and out for the rest of the war. “Quax” Schnörrer flew a total of 536 missions and recorded forty-six victories. He claimed thirty-five victories over the Eastern Front, including 10 IL-2 Sturmoviks. Of his eleven victories recorded over the Western Front, all were made flying the Me 262 and included nine four-engine bombers. Schnörrer, who was Nowotny’s best friend and wingman for over 200 missions, died on September 25, 1979, at Nürnberg.