Me 262s seen at Flugplatz Nordhausen April 1945

[Sergio]

I have been reading the unpublished autobiography of a deceased engineer (born 1919). He says that in early April 1945 some Me 262s were parked at Nordhausen Airfield alongside other military aircraft. I believe this was before the arrival at Nordhausen of the US Armored Divisions on 10 April 1945.

Could his Me 262 story be true? If so, what could possibly be a good reason for parking them there? Maybe an Me 262 geschwader was based there? Or...was Nordhausen a repair faciity? Perhaps one of those oddball Me 262 manufacturing sites?

A documentary film shot in 1944-45 on rare/expensive 35mm colour film was funded by the US Government. It shows the advance of the US militia through Thuringia on their way to Berlin. This 45 minute film is called Special Film Project 186. A visual tease at around 27m 00s shows an un-named airfield with burnt-out German aircraft. Could this have been Nordhausen? Probably not because I expect airmen flying into US-controlled airfields in April 1945 was commonplace to avoid being locked into the new Soviet controlled territory. This film is excellent and well worth a watch regardless because its authenticity shines through the light editing.

Could anybody suggest a good site to find photos of Nordhausen Airfield from that period?

Any opinions, ideas, questions are really welcome so thank you in advance.

 

[Snautzer01]

I have been reading the unpublished autobiography of a deceased engineer (born 1919). He says that in early April 1945 some Me 262s were parked at Nordhausen Airfield alongside other military aircraft. I believe this was before the arrival at Nordhausen of the US Armored Divisions on 10 April 1945.

Could his Me 262 story be true? If so, what could possibly be a good reason for parking them there? Maybe an Me 262 geschwader was based there? Or...was Nordhausen a repair faciity? Perhaps one of those oddball Me 262 manufacturing sites?

A documentary film shot in 1944-45 on rare/expensive 35mm colour film was funded by the US Government. It shows the advance of the US militia through Thuringia on their way to Berlin. This 45 minute film is called Special Film Project 186. A visual tease at around 27m 00s shows an un-named airfield with burnt-out German aircraft. Could this have been Nordhausen? Probably not because I expect airmen flying into US-controlled airfields in April 1945 was commonplace to avoid being locked into the new Soviet controlled territory. This film is excellent and well worth a watch regardless because its authenticity shines through the light editing.

Could anybody suggest a good site to find photos of Nordhausen Airfield from that period?

Any opinions, ideas, questions are really welcome so thank you in advance.

You asked before: Messerschmitt ME262 at Peenemünde?

 

[Sergio]

You asked before: Messerschmitt ME262 at Peenemünde?

Good memory, sir!
Yes, but membership is dynamic. What about members joining since then or members who occasionally visit for a dip into the site's content etc?
I wish I had your memory. What plastic do you eat?

 

[Snautzer01]

Good memory, sir!
Yes, but membership is dynamic. What about members joining since then or members who occasionally visit for a dip into the site's content etc?
I wish I had your memory. What plastic do you eat?

Hi

I understand. But before members start researching, it is a good thing to see what roads were already taken.

 

[Snautzer01]

Peenemünde-West is erprobungsstelle Karlshagen

Peenemünde-West?) (54 09 35 N – 13 47 05 E)
General: airfield (Fliegerhorst) 72 km NNE of Neubrandenburg and 27
km ENE of Greifswald on the Baltic coast of Pomerania; airfield located
2.5 km N of the village of Peenemünde at the N end of Usedom Island.
History: construction began in August 1936, at peak employed
10,000 workers, and was essentially completed in 1939. The airfield
was only a part of a large Luftwaffe research and experimental
establishment that developed and tested missiles, rockets and jet-
propelled aircraft.

 

[Sergio]

For the record, following further research I now have a solution to my own query.
By the end of 1944, Nordhausen airfield had become a recognised Luftwaffe refuelling point for high consumption, short-range aircraft such as the Me 262. This was probably because Nordhausen was very close to the massive natural and synthetic fuel stocks held by Wifo (Wirtschaftliche Forschungsgeselischat). This fuel was stored in the underground tunnels that, in July 1943, became the Mittelwerke factory producing A4 (V-2) rockets etc.
I believe that by early-April 1945, the US heavy armour's advance had cut off Nordhausen airfield from its own refuelling source leaving the Me 262s, high and dry.
To prevent airworthy Me 262s falling into Allied hands, in April 1945, Kaaden was ordered to set fire to the stranded Me 262s plus other aircraft – these probably included some MISTEL Composite Bombers that were routinely assembled at Nordhausen airfield.

 

[Daggerr]

A documentary film shot in 1944-45 on rare/expensive 35mm colour film was funded by the US Government. It shows the advance of the US militia through Thuringia on their way to Berlin. This 45 minute film is called Special Film Project 186. A visual tease at around 27m 00s shows an un-named airfield with burnt-out German aircraft. Could this have been Nordhausen?

I don't see any burnt out planes in the video even though around 28:00 minutes the narrator claims so. Those are just piston engines and parts of their planes, not Me 262.

Around 27:00 minutes there is an Me 262 with 711 on its tail.
That was Me 262 A-1a with Werk Nr 111711 which fell in allied hands when a defecting German test pilot flew it from Schwäbisch-Hall (a forest factory, or "Waldwerk") to Frankfurt/Rhein-Main on 30 March 1945.
It was later shipped to the US where it was tested as FE-107 (T2-107 or T2-711) at Wright field.
Lost on 20 August 1946 when test pilot Walter McAuley was forced to bail out due to engine failure.

New Page 2

Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1 WNr. 111711 at Frankfurt/Rhein-Main Airfield and Wright Field, Dayton, Ohio, 1945

falkeeins.blogspot.com

So the Me 262 in the video was at Rhein-Main, not at Nordhausen.

In the book "Messerschmitt Me 262 The Production Log 1941 - 1945" there is a map showing Luftwaffe Me 262 Airfields but Nordhausen is not indicated on there. Leipzig is, and many other airfields further away.