13 January 1943

Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-3 (WNr. 0522)
near the village of Kerlo (Elven)
(contributors : Alban Péres, Phil Dufrasne)

Focke-Wulf Fw 190A-3 of the JG 2
Photo Imperial War Museum - IWM (MH 4190)

Pilot
Lt Ulf MONTANUS - III. JG 2 (9./JG 2)

Photo collection Erik Mombeeck

THE STORY

Little is known about the crash of this aircraft : the pilot, Leutnant Ulf Montanus, probably made a mistake during a test flight after taking off from Vannes. He bailed out and was injured. His aircraft crashed near the village of Kerlo, west of Elven, about 6 kilometers from the Vannes airfield. It was 100% destroyed.

In addition :
- A report from the Elven Gendarmerie brigade (ref. GD/56E/52) states :
" A German plane crashed on January 13, 1943, around 11:30 a.m. near the village of Kerlo (gendarmes did not return). The German airman, who bailed out safely, was found in the Pont Billio woods, 1 km north of the town of Elven, by farmers named Le Courtris and Boulho, and a baker from the town of Tremelot. These three families were proposed by the German authorities for the release of one prisoner each (subsequent official report drawn up on the orders of the German authorities). "

Some information about Lt Ulf Montanus :
(source "Dans le ciel de France - Histoire de la JG 2 "Richtofen" - Volume 4 - Erik Mombeeck)
- On March 12, 1943, Ulf Montanus was the wingman of Lt. Georg-Peter Eder of 12./JG 2 when they engaged Spitfires over Fécamp. Eder claimed two victories.
- On July 3, 1943, the same pair intercepted B-17s in the Alençon-Argentan sector. After a dogfight lasting over an hour, Eder shot down a B-17 at 12:32 PM, which crashed 2 km north of Alençon. The two German pilots observed two parachutes.
- On July 4, 1943, JG 2 aircraft attacked 80 B-17s. Montanus shot one down at around 1:00 PM, 40 km southwest of Lisieux. This was his second victory.
- On September 17, 1943, Oberleutnant Eder transferred command of 12. Staffel to Lt. Ulf Montanus.
- On October 14, 1943, Montanus, then with 8./JG 2, shot down a B-17 around 4:00 PM northeast of Laon. This was his fourth victory.
- On December 30, 1943, the Staffelführer of 8./JG 2 was shot down and killed in the Froidmont sector (Belgium) during combat with B-17 bombers of the 8^th USAAF. He was flying a Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-6, WNr. 27170.