luftwaffe Interesting 10. (Pz) / SG 9 Hs 129 Pilot Docs

[Colinf]

I thought some might appreciate this document group:

Franz Josef Birnbaum was From Rydultau, near Wodzislaw SL part of Silesia, close to the German Border.  Rydultau was annexed by Germany in September 1939.  Birnbaum was one of four brothers:

 

 

 

·         24 October 1933 – Passed “A” Certification in B.S.G – Christiansen glider.  This consisted of 30 seconds straight flight with smooth landing.  Completed while with Deutschen Luftsport Verbandes (DLV), Ortsgruppe, Welzow. 2 (see Note 1)

 

 

 

·         1^st June 1933 – 30^th September 1935 – Franz was an active member of the DLV.

 

 

 

·         1^st February 1934 – entrance to Wehrmacht – he belonged to the Fliegersturm (Flyerstorm) III/4 Welzow N.-L.

 

 

 

·         1936 –1938 – Saw action in the Spanish Civil War.  On 31^st May 1939 – he was sent a preliminary possession testimony for the Spanish Cross (Spanien-Kreuz) in Bronze  According to Spanish War researcher Francisco Valero Gutierrez the preliminary document shows the unit as “Tr.T”, this stands for Truppenteil and the P88 means 'Park und Verwaltung 88'.  This unit was responsible for maintenance and administration duties.  A photo of FJ Birnbaum with his wife Liesel indicates he was involved in combat as the medals he wears are as follows:

 

 

  

 

1.  La Medalla de la Campaña 1936-39 (Campaign Medal)

2.  

   Cruz Roja del Merito Militar (Red Cross of Military Merit)

    

3. Dienstauszeichnung IV Klasse for Luftwaffe

    

4. Medaille 1 Oktober 1938 mit Spange "Prager Burg"

    

5. Spanien-Kreuz in Bronze or silver mit Schwertern

    

6. Flugzeugführerabzeichen

    

 

 

·         Identity Tag: 151 – L.Z.A. Köll (Luftzeuggamt Kölleda)

 

 

 

·         10^th August 1939 – Fliegerhorstkompanie.  Standort: Kölleda.

 

 

 

·         July 1940 – Flew 11 flights in SG 38’s with NationalSozialistisches Fliegerkorps (NSFK).  He lived at that time in Breslau.

 

 

 

·         2^nd May 1940 – Was medically examined at Fliegeruntersuchungsstelle (flyer investigation place), Klotzsche, and found to be No.1 suitability for defence/war flyer suitability.

 

 

 

·         3^rd December 1940 - Promoted from Unteroffizier to Feldwebel while with Fl.Gast (Eis) 2 , Feldluftzeuggruppe Westfrankreich

 

 

 

·         1^st April 1941 - Nachschubkompanie der Luftwaffe 14./IV

 

 

 

·         1^st May 1941 - Luftgau IV/Dresden

 

 

 

·         20^th May 1942 – Awarded Flugzeugführerabzeichen No. 102 521. 

 

 

 

·         15^th June 1942 – Zerstörer Vorschhule 1

 

 

 

Þ      Phase I Training - Elementary Training A/B (Schule Flgsf.Sch. A/B 43) in light aircraft

 

Þ      Phase II Training – Pilot closely watched and depending on his wishes and temperament, his instructors decided if he would be suitable as fighter, bomber or ground attack.

 

Þ      After completion further training depended on the nature of his specialisation.  Franz was destined to become a Henschel (Hs) 129 pilot.

 

Þ      10^th October - 29^th October 1942 - Transferred to Zerstörerschule 2, Munchen /Neubiberg where he gained experience in twin engine aircraft, notably the Me 110.  In June 1943 parts of Zerstörerschule 2 were designated to II/SG 101, after February 1943 passing out of SG 101 he was transferred to Ergäzungs-Schlachtgruppe.

 

 ·         1^st January 1943 – Promoted from Feldwebel to Oberfeldwebel while with 9./Zerstörerschule 2, Memmingen.

 

 

·         29^th April 1943 – 2./Ergänzungs-Schlachtgruppe – Deblin Irena (Reserve Operational Training Unit).  This was located 97 Km. Southeast of Warsaw. He would have done further training in formation flying, bomb aiming, firing at ground targets, air to air combat and orientation.  Any pilot not meeting the set standard was dismissed.

 

·         1^st Staffel – Me 110 (airfield near Deblin)

 

·         2^nd Staffel – Fw 190 (Deblin/Irena)

 

·         3^rd Staffel – Hs 129 (Deblin/Irena

 

 

 

·         21^st September 1943 - Birnbaum joined 4. (Pz) / Sch G1 (formed 13.1.42) (See Note 5)

 

 

 

·         18^th October 1943 - 4. (Pz) / Sch G1 became 10. (Pz) / SG 9 and he came under the Command of Staffelkapitän Oblt. George Dorneman. Dorneman took of command of 4. (Pz) / Sch G1 January 1943, before that he was an instructor from 1936 – 1942. Staffelkapitän Oblt. George Dorneman was shot down and seriously injured 13^th December 1943.  Lt. Walter Krause until March 1944, and then Gebhard Weber then filled the position of Staffelkapitän until the end of the war.

 

 

 

·         6^th November 1943 - Awarded the Frontflug-Spange for Jäger in Bronze (20 Combat flights).  Signed by Bruno Meyer.

 

 

 

·         1^st December 1943 – Awarded the Iron Cross 2^nd Class.  Signed by Conrad Kommandeur Luftflottenkommandos 4.

 

 

 

·         13^th March 1944 – Letter from Generalleutnant Seidemann, signed by Hptm. Ruffer (Staffelkapitän 10 (Pz)./SG 9).  

 

 

 

·         24^th March 1944 - Awarded the Frontflug-Spange for Jäger in Silver (60 Combat flights). Signed by Franz Oswald (RK);

 

 

 

·         5^th April 1944 – Killed flying Hs 129 B-2 WNr 141731 Coded D, 10 (Pz) / S.G.9.  Ofw. Franz Birnbaum killed 1 km. Northwest of Hobucica (Holubica), Ukraine when his aircraft was hit by enemy fire and crashed in flames, 100% destroyed.   His next of Kin, his wife Liesel, was notified.

 

 

 

Birnbaum’s Hs-129 crashed between vilages HOLUBICA (now-Golubytsya) and GARKIV in marshlands near the River LUG, it is 120 km East of Lviv.  The crashed aircraft turned upside down and when Soviet soldiers with a truck turned it back Birnbaum was in cockpit, he had drowned. In 1990 a group at Lviv put up a Memorial, with the German WAST.  They found in that region (local inhabitants helped with it) a grave of pilot, but no documents or awards were with the body...the pilot was almost certainly Franz Birnbaum – Research by Voldemar Pahom (Ukraine)

 

 

 

·         20^th April 1944 – Posthumously Awarded Iron Cross 1^st Class signed by Generaloberst Karl-Heinrich Schultz (Der Chef der Luftflotte 4).  “For the PanzerSchlachtflieger it was not that easy to be awarded a high decoration and it is no exaggeration to say that the units best pilots often wore no more than the Iron Cross First Class” Martin Pegg P180

 

FJ Birnbaum Award Docs.pdf

Award Docs.

Edited May 6, 2016 by hucks216

[hucks216]

That is a great group and the research is well written and presented. Do you actually own the award citations or just photocopies?

Great photo of him wearing his medal bar. Thanks for posting this set.

[Colinf]

Thanks. Yes I own all the documents and there are quite a few more including the Flugzeugfuehrer Abzeichen award document and promotion documents.  Interestingly his Nephew lives in Australia and have me his Birth Certificate and the photos. 

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Colin.

Thank you for posting this tragic group. Unless I am mistaken the plane he flew was an ancient type ( Doppeldecker, the English expression is not present in my mind ).

As to the listed entry with date of April 20, 1944 some small clarification seems indicated:

the commander of Luftflotte 4 at that time was Gen.d.Flak later promoted to Generaloberst, Dessloch. The Chef des Stabes ( Chief of Staff ) was Generalmajor  Karl-Heinrich Schulz.

It appears that the document was signed by Schulz without qualification i.e. I.A. with the rank Generaloberst following.

Bernhard H. Holst

 

 

[Colinf]

Thanks for the information Bernhard.  Although you are incorrect about him flying the Hs123 (Doppledecker), 4 (Pz)/SchG1 and 10.(Pz)/SG 9 flew the single wing Hs129B, as pictured below.