Luftwaffe Soldbuch

[Edward]

Although I am not a Luftwaffe collector I have a couple of Lw Soldbuchs picked up over the years.

This one is interesting as he served in a late-war unit with perhaps the weirdest mission ever. Will get to that part later.

Heidrich's replacement Soldbuch issued Feb, 1943 via Aufklärungsgruppe (F) 123. Nice pic of him and can just see his Gold Recce bar peaking out the bottom edge of the photo.
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I thought he looked a tad like Fred Astaire.
220px-Astaire,_Fred_-_Never_Get_Rich.jpg

[Edward]

I gather that during 1943-44 he took part in the Reichsvert and flew as crew with various units to include I./NJG.11 and II./Jägdgeschwader 300.
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Now for the weird part. At the close of the war Heidrich ended up in a Panzer Aufklärungsschwarm. I have not been very successful in finding out exactly what these late-war units did. Some were stationed in Czechoslovakia. The aircraft used were Fi 156's. I also found that at least one Fi 156 from a schwarm engaged a US armored column in Germany by means of firing a Panzerfaust at the tanks while in flight! Would be interesting to know what the outcome was. Must have been an extremely dangerous type of mission though as the Fi 156 was not cracking the sound barrier and probably would have had too dodge alot of ground fire. I am also uncertain if Heidrich ever engaged in such missions, but he was assigned to them.
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[Edward]

Heidrich's awards.
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[JeremyJ]

Sb

Edward,

Very nice re-issued SB, nice grouping of awards and interesting units in particular the last. I am not overly familiar with these units in particular because they do not come up often.

There were a total of five (5) Panzer Aufklärungsschwarm formed in March 1945 and all flying Fi 156. The more familair versions of these late war units are the Panzer Jagdstaffeln which were flying Bu. 181's and specifically fitted out with Panzerfaust.

I would be curious to find out if these Panzer Aufklärungsschwarm were used as "spotters" for the Pz. Jg.Staffel. Since your man was a Beobachter it may add credibility to this idea.

Others may have additional info. on these units.

Nice Soldbuch.

Jeremy

[Edward]

Thanks for the kind words and additional information Jeremy! I did not know about the Bu. 181's.

That's a possibility on the Fi 156's relaying target information to the Bu. 181's.

I also cannot figure out what he was doing as a Beobachter in NJG. 11 and JG 300. From what I could dig up both units used single seat FW 190's and ME 109's.

[Edward]

Just found this photo of a Bu. 181. Note attachment of Panzerfausts under both wings.
1626781.jpg

[JeremyJ]

Sb

Wow nice find I'm actually surprised any are still in existence!!

In terms of your Beobachter serving with JG 300 and NJG 11 it would seem likely that he worked in some capacity with the air-ground coordination of radar with the flying units since this was a very important aspects of night fighter successes.


Regards

Jeremy

[Edward]

Jeremy it looks as if the Bu 181's were formed into there own units seperate from the Panzeraufklärungschwarm's of which Heidrich belonged.

There is one source I found that briefly mention's a unit South of Berlin in April, 1945 with Fi 156's and panzerfausts. Not known if this mention of Fi 156's is linked in anyway to the Schwarms or Bu 181 units. I also found that 5 Schwarms existed, at least on paper numbered 1 thru 5. All locations are unknown except for Schwarm 4 which was in Czechoslovakia. If the Bu 181's and Schwarms were based together is also unknown.

So it looks like the Panzerauflärungsschwarm story, if any ever existed, will continue to remain elusive.

Just added in the the below information for interest which sums up the operational history of the Bu 181's. Aagin there is no mention of Fi 156's, or the Schwarms.


<DIR>The Panzerfaust-Trebbin Kommando, which attacked the Red Army on 21 April 1945 ... No machine is returned, and one pilot survived!
The pilot Hitlerjungend came from and were trained in part by the Oberfeldwebel Buchsteiner (except a driver trained by Oberst Adolf Dickefield) ...

The Tiefenangriffsgruppe Bu-181 (TAG Bu 181) which came into service in March 1945 in the area of Wittenberg ...
Activity unit:
* The 18.04.45 from Finow, aircraft landing area Werneuchen / Munchenerg / Wriezen ...
* The 20 .04.45 since Eberswalde and Neuruppin ...
* moved to Perleberg.
After it conducted a retreat on Parchim and then Ludwiglust Eggebek / Tarp where the unit traveled to Britain.

-The Panzerjagdgruppe.2 which came into service in Czechoslovakia Reichenberg ... (no trace of its actions against).
-The Panzerjagdstaffel.3 (PzJStf.3) which Opper in southern Germany since the area Schongau / Kaufbeuren combatre for the American tank ...
On that occasion the pilot of Bü 181 (Wener Diermayer) "yellow 10", WNr 502,167, turned heels and arose in Dübendorf (Switzerland), April 18 1945 ...


</DIR>

[Luft 76]

Very nice doc ! Congratulations.

[Oberbootsmann]

Nice SB but the soldiers last name is "Hedrich" - not "Heidrich".

Regards

[erichcraciun]

Hello Edward,

you could write to the Einwohnermekdeamt of the city he was born in and take a look at teh Volksbund page to see if he is buired or missing in action.

Erich

[erichcraciun]

And another picture of the aircraft I found at:

www.ww2incolor.com/ german-air-force/bu-181.html