Fw190D-9 "Black 8"/W.nr. 210968 loss questions

[Procopius]

Would someone who has Green Hearts: First in Combat with the Dora 9 by Axel Urbanke be willing to summarize for me what the book says about the loss of this aircraft and its pilot, Uffz. Karl Fröb on 17 April 1945? I've read several other books that touch upon the loss, but none of them seem to agree on what exactly happened. Any help would be appreciated!

[SafetyDad]

Sure.

 

Urbanke refers to the testimony of Karl Heinz Ossenkop of 2.Staffel/JG54 who was patrolling with Uffz. Karl Fröb on 17 April 1945. Ossenkop cannot remember the precise mission, but that 18 aircraft took off that morning under the command of Oblt Dortenmann as part of a fighter sweep. He describes how they were very vigilant for the presence of Spitfires and Tempests, and flew at 'Beer Bottle Height' North to join combat. As they passed North, I Gruppe was attacked by six Spitfires, but did not accept combat. Over Schwerin Lake Ossenkop observed a 'shower of spray' to his right and behind the aircraft he was piloting. Uffz. Karl Fröb had hit the lake water at high speed. He did not survive. So not a loss in combat, but nevertheless due to enemy fire. Urbanke describes in the text how 'Black 8' had been hit in the radiator  before hitting the water. He speculates that a seized piston was the cause of the crash.  Ossenkop was also shot down on this mission, so the Gruppe were not immediately informed of his account.

 

Check your PMs later today - I'm on babysitting duty just now

 

SD

[Richard502]

There was another D-9 crash at Lake Schwerin that day (April 17, 1945).

Veit Scherzer, "Dortenmann's Fliegers", p. 227 quotes Dortenmann (of 1./JG26 at that time) 

after breaking off combat with RAF Tempests..."A joung pilot and Feldwebel Ostrowitzki, one of the few survivors from Heilmanns Staffel on the Invasion Front, are covering me. In low level flight we reach Lake Schwerin. I quickly turn right, because the lake is like a mirror, and one has got no idea how high one is flying. A quick warning by radio. But it's too late. Ostrowitzki has hit the mirror-like surface, could not judge his altitude and did not pull up either. While turning I see a flaming ball flit over the lake surface...."

Richard