She managed to land the aircraft but was badly wounded and was placed in a hospital for some time. This mission was enshrined in fiction as the "Hambrucken raid" in Beirne Lay and Sy Bartlett's novel, Twelve O'Clock High. Da absehbar war, dass fr die Beschftigten des neuen Werkes auch neue Siedlungsgebiete erforderlich waren, wurden die drei Regensburg sdlich und westlich unmittelbar benachbarten Drfer Ziegetsdorf, Dechbetten und Groprfening eingemeindet. In addition, the Germans planned for the Me 163 to be positioned at a series of auxiliary airfields along Allied bomber routes. These would be fully equipped with spare parts, ammunition, and fuel, and positioned close to each other. Dort wurde ab Ende 1944 im grten funktionsfhigen Messerschmitt-Werk in einer durch die Oberbayerische Forschungsanstalt in Oberammergau konzertierten Aktion noch in groem Stil die Serienproduktion des Strahlflugzeugs Me 262 (Rumpfwerk und Vorflgel) begonnen. Auch in dem Regensburg stlich benachbarten Ort Obertraubling boten sich zustzliche Mglichkeiten fr grorumige Erweiterungen an. In its inventory, there were some 12 fully operational Me 163 available. 1./JG 400 was at this stage prohibited from making combat flights in order to avoid the attention of the Allies. Weapons. Losses among the 57 B-17s of the lead wing were so severe that many among its airmen considered the possibility that the wing might be annihilated before reaching the target. To avoid concentrating the production in one location, given the Allied bombing campaign, Junkers dispersed it across numerous smaller companies. The Me 163, despite its small number, proved to be a shock to the Allies pilots. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. For the "Black Thursday" second bombing of Schweinfurt on 14 October, see, Sources vary as the number lost. The crews lost totaled 552 men, of who half became prisoners of war and twenty were interned by the Swiss. At the start of September, Luftwaffe Generalmajor Adolf Galland told EKdo 16s Commander Hauptmann Thaler, that the unit was to be disbanded and all personnel and equipment were to be relocated to Brandis. In an attempt to increase the Me 163s performance, Junkers cooperated with Dr. Lippisch. Because of the delayed start of the mission, eight squadrons of RAF Spitfire fighters (96 aircraft) from 11 Group and 83 Group had been added to escort the Schweinfurt force as far as Antwerp, where P-47s would take over and escort it to Eupen. Therefore the Germans worked on developing safer types of dollies. Given that they could do little against it when the Me 163 was in its dive attack. Juli 1936 wurde als Tochtergesellschaft der Messerschmitt AG Augsburg die Bayerische Flugzeugwerke Regensburg GmbH gegrndet. The industry's infrastructure, while vulnerable to a sustained campaign, was not vulnerable to destruction by a single raid. The first, a diversionary attack, involved the bombing of three locations along the French and Dutch coast: the German airfields at Bryas-Sud and Marck by American B-26 Marauder and Royal Air Force Mitchell medium bombers, and the marshalling yards at Dunkirk by other Mitchells, all timed to coincide with the Regensburg strike.[14]. Freeman states that the gunners' claims were later reduced to 148, and that actual German loss was "only 27 fighters". However, the unit was permitted to conduct live firing trials during flights in order to test the Me 163 weapons systems. Ende 1944 war der Einsatz von 4000 KZ-Hftlingen und 400 Zivilarbeitern fr diese Fertigung geplant. The machinery and the materials were then used for the production of furniture and fitted kitchens. Very enjoyable site and, as far as I know, accurate. History [ edit] The delays with the construction of auxiliary support buildings on this airfield meant that crew training could not begin until October 1943. On the 24th of August, eight Me 163 managed to shoot down three more bombers while successfully evading enemy fighter cover. Although the raid caused heavy damage at both factories, 60 of the 376 bombersabout 1 in 6 of those dispatchedwere shot down and more than 600 Airmen were killed, missing, or captured. Not wanting to waste the parts of the destroyed Me 163, these were collected and then sent to the training school at Fassberg. [citation needed] The commander of the first task force estimated that the bombers would not be able to climb over the clouds and elected to fly under them at 17,000 feet (5,000 m), increasing the vulnerability of the bombers to fighter attacks. The Regensburg force then turned south to cross the Alps, confronted by only a few twin-engined fighters soon forced to disengage by lack of range. The 60 aircraft lost on a single mission more than doubled the highest previous loss at that time. I have been looking all over for some 1940s era photographs of the Messerschmitt factories in Augsburg or Regensburg. Due to the need for immediate aircraft production for the ongoing war, there was no time for development work and BFW manufactured aircraft under licence from Albatros Flugzeugwerke. The SchweinfurtRegensburg mission was a strategic bombing mission during World War II carried out by Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy bombers of the U.S. Army Air Forces on August 17, 1943. Found one book by Schmoll. To avoid concentrating the production in one location, given the Allied bombing campaign, Junkers . The Americans also managed to capture a number of Me 163 in various working conditions across occupied Germany. Die Siedlung war ca. Each of these was tasked with the delivery and production of parts before being finally assembled at Brandenburg-Briest. Weitere industrielle Arbeitspltze gab es in der Stadt nicht und Bemhungen zur Ansiedlung von Betrieben waren erfolglos geblieben. This unit, which was formed in April of 1942, had the primary function of testing and evaluating the newly built Me 163 and helping in the development and improvement of its overall design. Nach Kriegsbeginn Messerschmitt relied heavily on slave labour to produce much of the parts needed for these aircraft during the second half of World War II; these parts were assembled in an enormous tunnel system in Sankt Georgen an der Gusen, Austria. A few days later, another accident occurred when the towing aircraft lost power to one of its engines. Messerschmitt Aircraft Plant in Augsburg-Haunstetten, 11 August 1944 Photo taken August 11, 1944 from a Spitfire MK XI of the 14th Squadron of the 7th PRG. [8][9][10] The 4th Bombardment Wing, using B-17s equipped with "Tokyo (fuel) tanks" for longer range, would attack the Messerschmitt Bf 109 plants in Regensburg and then fly on to bases in Bne, Berteaux and Telergma (French Algeria). Die grten Auswirkungen fr die Stadt ergaben sich, weil fr die Produktion im neuen Flugzeugwerk tausende meist hoch qualifizierte neue Arbeitskrfte bentigt wurden, die vor Ort nicht verfgbar waren und deshalb mit ihren Familien von auerhalb zuziehen mussten. The question of how many Me 163B were produced during the war is difficult to pinpoint precisely. The first Me 163B-0 series aircraft began to arrive from May 1944. The title Kabinenroller means "scooter with cabin". It was named Mitsubishi Ki-200, for the army, and J8M1 for the navy. I'd even settle for a history book of Messerschmitt that had some illustrations. The administration and research department consisting of 2.200 employees were moved to Conrad-von-Htzendorf barracks in Oberammergau. The volatile nature of its fuel, occasionally lead to accidents and explosions, losing aircraft in the process, but more importantly the vital pilots. Im Februar 1944 erfolgte der zweite Angriff amerikanischer B-17-Bomber, bei dem das Hauptwerk in Prfening mit allen Produktionshallen vllig zerstrt wurde. In Stollen der unterirdischen Produktionsanlagen von B8 Bergkristall waren zeitweise 6000 KZ-Hftlinge des KZ Gusen II beim Bau und bis zu 8500 Hftlinge in der dort seit Oktober 1944 anlaufenden Groserienproduktion fr Rumpfwerk 262 eingesetzt. Z-Stoff would later be replaced with C-Stoff, which was a mix of methyl alcohol, hydrazine hydrate, and water. Deshalb gab es in den nchsten Monaten keine weiteren Angriffe amerikanischer Bomber, bis fr die Boeing B-17-Bomber Begleitschutz verfgbar war. The first Me 163B flew in July 1945 but was lost in an accident. Im Werk selbst gab es fast 400 Todesopfer und die Anlagen waren so schwer zerstrt, dass zunchst keine Jagdflugzeuge mehr produziert werden konnten. Take-offs and landings were divided into two phases. DISCONTINUED. He was supported in this by BMW's Managing Director Franz Josef Popp who, in a letter to the chairman of MAN, described BFW as a "dead factory, which possesses no plant worth mentioning, and consists very largely of dilapidated and unsuitable wooden sheds situated in a town that is extremely unfavorable for industrial activities and whose status continues to give little cause for enthusiasm". The left-wing cannon muzzle brake is visible in this picture. They were relocated to Wittmundhafen as the airfield at Deelen proved unfit for the Me 163 aircrafts operation. The C-Stoff fuel tanks were placed in the Me 163s wings. The 1st Bomb Wing was over German-occupied territory for three hours and thirty minutes, of which two hours and ten minutes, including all of the time spent over Germany itself, saw no fighter support whatsoever. During this time the 7/JG 400 was also formed, which was stationed at Stettin-Altdamm. Besides the issues previously mentioned, after a successful landing, the Me 163 was immobile and vulnerable to possible enemy attacks. Haywood S. Hansell, Jr., "Balaklava Redeemed", "Bombing of Schweinfurt," from the Third Reich in Ruins webpage by Geoff Walden, "Reality Remembering Scheinfurt" by Wally Hoffman, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=SchweinfurtRegensburg_mission&oldid=1134933395, 60 bombers, 3 P-47s, and 2 Spitfires lost, This page was last edited on 21 January 2023, at 15:47. In 1944, on Adolf Hitlers instructions, a number of previously secret projects were to be shared with the Japanese. On August 17, 1943, the USAAF suffered staggering losses in the two-pronged attack against the Messerschmitt fighter factory at Regensburg and the ball-bearing plants at Schweinfurt, Germany. The original plans to build numerous connected airfields were abandoned in favor of concentrating all available Me 163 in a few selected airfields. Nach Kriegsende blieben in Regensburg und auch in St. Georgen/Gusen nur Ruinen des leistungsfhigen und produktiven Flugzeugwerkes Messerschmitt GmbH zurck. In July 1944, a second auxiliary unit (Erganzumgsstaffel) was formed. These chemicals were extremely flammable and dangerous to handle and thus required safety procedures to be used properly. More test flights were carried out until mid-March 1944 when they had to be temporarily stopped. [1][2][3], In Regensburg, all six main workshops of the Messerschmitt factory were destroyed or severely damaged, as were many supporting structures including the final assembly shop. By the end of the war, only a few incomplete airframes were built. Messerschmitt Bf 109G-1,3,5: Pressurized, High Altitude Series. Of the two groups of P-47s (87 aircraft) tasked to escort the force to the German border, only one arrived at the rendezvous point on time, covering only the lead wing, and the second arrived fifteen minutes late. In addition all bags are subject to search and may be placed through an X-Ray machine. Concurrently, pilots were beginning to arrive from the EKdo 16 training unit. Junkers managed to produce around 299 aircraft of this type by the end of the war. With the two MK 108 cannons, the Me 163 was formidably armed given its small size. Etwa 2000 Hftlinge des KZ Gusen I im System des KZ Mauthausen produzierten am Flieband tglich 25 Rmpfe und 25 Flgelpaare fr das Flugzeug Bf 109 sowie Teile fr die Me 262. Finally, for the Me 163 production aircraft, the improved HWK-509 engine was chosen. Interestingly, on the 12th and 13th June 1944, three Me 163s from the EKdo 16 were demonstrated to the Japanese and Italian military delegations. To move it across the airfield the Germans designed and built a small specialized aircraft tug, called the Scheuchschlepper, especially for this task. Der Angriff war mit einem gleichzeitigen Angriff auf Schweinfurt Teil eines Doppelangriffs, genannt Operation Double Strike. The last provisional wing in the task force was left without any fighter protection at all. Erhalten sind das ehemalige Verwaltungsgebude, in dem heute die kaufmnnische Berufsschule untergebracht ist, und ein Teil der Lackiererei, der heute Infineon als Versand und Warenannahmehalle dient. This engine used a combination of T-Stoff and C-Stoff (a mixture of hydrazine hydrate, water, and methanol). As soon as the reconnaissance photographs were received on the evening of the 17th, Generals Eaker and Anderson knew that the Schweinfurt raid had been a failure. Cheers David. Once the first prototype was available, it was flight-tested as a glider by Heini Dittmar in late June, or May of 1942, depending on the source. For example on the 16th March, an Me 163 managed to damage another Mosquito on a reconnaissance mission. However anti-aircraft fire ("flak") was light over Regensburg and visibility clear, and of the remaining 131 bombers, 126 dropped 298.75 tons of bombs on the fighter aircraft factories with a high degree of accuracy at 11:43 British time. In an incredibly ambitious undertaking, the 4th Bombardment Wing would attack the major Messerschmitt aircraft factory at Regensburg followed minutes later by an even larger raid by the 1st Bombardment Wing against the ball bearing facilities in the picturesque town of Schweinfurt. T-Stoff was stored in one main and two smaller auxiliary tanks. Not for publication. 400. [walterwerke.co.uk]. Maj.Gen. This would lead to the Me 163B series, which was the first, and last, operational rocket-powered aircraft to be used in active combat. Das Regensburger Unternehmen Messerschmitt GmbH wurde am 24. Some sources also mentioned that the production was carried out at the Dornier factory in Oberpfaffenhofen and the Bachmann von Blumenthal factory in Frth. [militaryimages.net]Following the successful testing of the previous Me 163A series, the Germans began developing a new improved version that was intended for operational use. Once these were successfully tested, they would be then allocated to the 1./J.G. The EG was designed with a coaxial rotor configuration and had an ambitious performance estimation. Location: Vermilion County Airport - KDNV, USA - Illinois; . In all the 1st Wing was delayed more than three hours behind the 4th Wing. For this reason, the Me 163 was tested with some experimental weapon systems. 400. unit. [1] The articles of association were drawn up on 19 and 20 February, and completed on 2 March 1916. I'd even settle for a history book of Messerschmitt that had some illustrations. The second was a series of attacks on Luftwaffe fighter fields at Poix, Lille-Vendeville, and Woensdrecht by Hawker Typhoons of the RAF simultaneous with the diversionary attack, and Poix by two groups of B-26s in the afternoon as the Schweinfurt force was returning. The 1st Bombardment Wing, commanded by Brigadier General Robert B. Williams, was made up of nine B-17 groups.