Major Werner,Bundesluftwaffe

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

From the book "Test Pilots" by Wolfgang Spate, it mentions about a Major Werner who was tasked by the Luftwaffe General Staff in assessment of the experimental French jet fighter the Balzac 001. He flew it two times and didn't like the plane. He would later fly the English Electric P 1 and the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter jet fighters. He must have flown other aircraft from other foreign countries as well as his own country. Can anyone tell me about the life of this adventurous German pilot of the Bundesluftwaffe? I think he was a pilot also in the Luftwaffe during World War II.

Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Gordon Craig]

Edward,

I am afriad that I can not add any info on this person. Since Werner is also a popular first name tracing this person on the net, which I am sure you have tried, is nearly impossible.

Regards,

Gordon

[Guardian 5]

Edward - I expect that forum member "RamJet" will weigh in shortly. He is one of our resident experts on the post-war Luftwaffe.

As Gordon has stated, this is a tough area to research, but I'm sure one of our guys will come through soon.

All the best - TJ

[RamJet]

Oberstleutnant Albert Werner.

His flight tests were the base for the decision which fighter aircraft would be chosen for the new Luftwaffe at the end of the 50s (it became the F-104G Starfighter, as we know).

An article about the process, published in 1958 in the weekly news magazine "SPIEGEL":

http://www.spiegel.de/spiegel/print/d-41758999.html

Have a nice evening,
Steve

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Every bit information helps.

Dear Steve,

I can decipher enough German words on that article that I read about Oberstlt. Albert Werner. Thank you Steve for what information you have. I surprise that Albert Werner was little known even to the world today. I'm trying to find more about German test pilots that flew for the Bundesluftwaffe but had little luck.


Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

[Gordon Craig]

Edward,

With the rank and full name of Werner, as given in the Der Spiegel article, I was able to find a few more articles on the net where he was montioned briefly. As you say, there is little to nothing on this Bundesluftwaffe test pilots life and career. Good luck in your hunt for more information on this interesting person.

Regards,

Gordon

[RamJet]

Dear Steve,

I can decipher enough German words on that article that I read about Oberstlt. Albert Werner. Thank you Steve for what information you have. I surprise that Albert Werner was little known even to the world today. I'm trying to find more about German test pilots that flew for the Bundesluftwaffe but had little luck.


Sincerely,

Edward L. Hsiao

Hi Ed,

I will keep Your search in mind and whenever I find new material about OTL Werner, I will post it here. Today I just looked into my books to find his full name and then started a short Google search which resulted in the SPIEGEL article, as I hadn't too much time in the evening. I am sure there is more to find.

Best wishes,
Steve

[Guardian 5]

Steve - Thanks for coming to my rescue and keeping me honest.

All the best - TJ

[RamJet]

[RamJet]

Found some more information about OTL Werner in the book "Walter Krupinski - Jagdflieger, Geheimagent, General", written by Kurt Braatz, on pages 210 - 216.

Krupinski, a fighter ace with 197 kills in WWII and later a Generalleutnant (LtGen) in the West German Air Force, accompanied Albert Werner in the flight tests in the USA and France in 1957/58. He wasn't impressed of the pilot abilities of Werner. Actually, he thought of him as not really capable to do the evaluation job and regarded the results as "preconceived opinions".

[chiffonnier]

..

[Edward L. Hsiao]

Gentlemen,

I believe Werner's highest rank in the Bundesluftwaffe before he retired was Oberst. I read somewhere in one of articles of "Die Spiegel".

Sincerely,


Edward L. Hsiao