26 February 1943

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-4 " black 9 " (WNr. 142473)
North of Elven
(contributors : Alban Péres, Phil Dufrasne)

FW 190 A
Photo collection Benoit Paquet (ABSA 39-45)

Pilot
Lt Fritz RÖSLE - III. JG 2 (9./JG 2)

THE STORY

Little is known about the crash of this aircraft : the pilot, Lieutenant Fritz RÖSLE, reportedly experienced engine trouble and bailed out. The aircraft was 95% destroyed.

Additional information :
- a report from the Elven Gendarmerie Brigade (ref. GD/56E/52) states :
" On February 26, 1943, at approximately 1:30 p.m., a German fighter aircraft crashed two kilometers north of the town of Elven, and about 300 meters from the village of Kerblaye in that municipality. The pilot, who bailed out to safety, was unharmed. The brigade went to the scene. Material damage was minor, and no civilians were injured. "
- the logbook of Unteroffizier Heinz Schneider specifies the following for February 26, 1943, after he had just completed a flight from Le Bourget to Vannes :
"[...] As we were reaching the quarters, we met Lt. Rösle and Uffz. Tietze, who were preparing to return to Paris. Twenty minutes later, Lt. Rösle had to bail out of his aircraft 3.5 km from the runway. And at 3 p.m., we received news of Uffz. Tietze's fatal accident east of Rennes [...]". 

Some information about Lt Fritz Rösle :
(source "Dans le ciel de France - Histoire de la JG 2 "Richtofen" - Erik Moombeck - Jean-Louis Roba)
- On January 3, 1943, Fritz Rösle (then Gruppenadjutant) and Lt. Karl Höfer (who was on a training course with 9./JG 2) were flying over the island of Groix when Höfer's engine stalled. The pilot attempted a water landing, but his aircraft sank immediately. Rösle circled above the crash site for several minutes, hoping to spot his comrade, but to no avail.
- On February 14, 1943, Rösle was sent with three other FW 190s (one of which was flown by Egon Mayer) northwest of Calais to engage Hawker Typhoons of No. 609 Squadron RAF. Egon Mayer claimed three victories, and Lt. Rösle one (his second).
- On May 29, 1943, the day the USAAF sent dozens of planes to bomb Saint-Nazaire, La Pallice and Rennes, Lt Hösle claimed his 3^rd victory, a B-17.