Luftwaffe A bit of an Me 109

[Spasm]

Small section of Messerschmitt bf 109E-1 of 6/JG27 shot down on 9th Sept 1940 at Benenden, Kent.

I've then daubed on it with me crayons.

[hucks216]

Wonderful item.

Bf109E-1 Werk Nr 6280

7 + - (in yellow)

Pilot: Uffz Georg Rauwolf (EK II) - carried an Ausweis on the mission with Feldpost Nr 37472 (6./Jagdgeschwader 27)

He had completed 18 missions since moving to 6./JG-27 in June 1940.

Started at 1730 escorting about forty bombers attacking London. Flying at between 19,000 & 21,000ft the pilot got careless and dropped too far behind; suddenly he was peppered by a Spitfire, dived down to 10,000ft and baled out, his aircraft diving into the ground at speed at 1815.

(Source: Luftwaffe Crash Archive Vol 3 by Nigel Parker)

Edited May 27, 2014 by hucks216

[Spasm]

Hucks

Thanks for that. Much more info than I had but I think I can add the following:

Apparently shot down by a Spitfire piloted by H.L. Whitbread from 222 Squadron. Herbert Whitbread was posted to 222 Squadron at Duxford on 6 November 1939. Whitbread claimed the Bf 109 destroyed on 9 September 1940. He was shot down 10 days later and killed in a surprise attack by Bf 109s on the 20th.

His Spitfire, N3203, crashed at Pond Cottage, Hermitage Farm, Higham, Rochester. Herbert Whitbread was 26 years old.

[hucks216]

Could of been a victim of Hans 'Assi' Hahn of 4./JG-2 although on that day he claimed a Hurricane but the timing does match (taking into account German & UK times). If it was 'Assi' Hahn then it was his 19th kill from an eventual tally of 108 (of which 53 were Spitfires).

[hucks216]

Further to the Luftwaffe details - Uffz Georg Rauwolf had one confirmed kill:

Hurricane on 18th August 1940 10km NW Selsey Bill at 5,000m

This kill may well of been why he was awarded the EK II. This was the day of the low level raid on RAF Kenley by 9./KG-76, however this would seem to fit the mission for Rauwolf...

It was around midday that 109 Junker Ju87 Stuka dive bombers from 2/StG77, 3/StG77, 5/StG77 and III/StG77, 65 Messerschmitt Bf109 fighter escorts and 55 Messerschmitt Bf109 fighters following up on a free hunting patrol left their bases in Normandy and Brittany to attack the aerodromes in Hampshire and Sussex and Poling Radar Station also in Sussex. The Messerschmitt Bf 109s were from 6/JG2, 1/JG27 and 6/JG27. Their flight path would take them across the English Channel and twelve miles to the east of the Isle of Wight. About ten miles south of the English coastline they would break up into three distinct groups. Twenty-Two Ju87s would attack Gosport, 27 would attack Thorney Island, 29 would attack Ford while 31 would attack Poling.

(Source: http://www.battleofbritain1940.net/0028.html )

Looking in The Battle Of Britain Then & Now a lot of Hurricanes were damaged or shot down on that day so pinning it down to just one might not be possible.

Edited May 27, 2014 by hucks216

[Brian Wolfe]

Beautiful work as always Steve.

Thanks for sharing this with the membership.

Regards

Brian

[hucks216]

Here is the entry for Georg Rauwolf's crash in Battle Of Britain Then & Now which mentions that he was traced to Munich in 1979, and also shows some remains of his aircraft...

And here is an image of PO Whitbread, from the same publication...

[Spasm]

Thanks very much Gents.

As usual, an amazing knowledge way above anything I could find on t'tinternet. Doesn't look like this bit is pinned to that board in the picture. Although I did have to straighten it out a lot from a fairly mangled piece using Brian's advice on not just hitting it with a hammer.

Hopefully you've all earned me a fortune on ebay. Ta very muchly

[Chris Boonzaier]

Fantastic work as always... I am very jealous of your talent!!!!!

[Peter707R]

Spasm, I’d be interested in how you came into possession of the aircraft part as I understood items from the crash site are on loan to the Headcorn/Lashenden air museum.

[VtwinVince]

I tracked Rauwolf down many years ago, and he wasn't too interested in discussing details of his escapade over England. He was a sculptor like my father.