Me-262 East of Dresden 27 April 1945

[Jeff Leach]

The 8th Guards Fighter Aviation Division (40, 41 and 88 Guards Fighter Regiments) with the 2nd Air Army, 1st Ukrainian Front was equipped with La-5s and La-7s. It was protecting the South / Southwest flank of the 1st Ukrainian Front during the Berlin Strategic Operation as well as providing CAP over the surrounded German garrison at Breslau. It's war diary for the 27th April 1945 has the following entry,

"In the direction of Dresden, enemy Me-262 jet aircraft were active. Single Me-262s (less often a pair of aircraft) strafed our troops and vehicles along the main roads and attacked our forward airbases. In the division’s offensive area, a flight of four Me-262s was observed, in the division’s defensive area, seven Me-262s were active. Our fighters engaged the Me-262 in three air combats but without success. The jet aircraft usually flew at 1500 meters before contour flying (бреющий полет). If they encountered our aircraft they avoid combat and don’t allow our planes to come closer than 300 – 400 meters. While they try and reach an attack position themselves. When trying to attack them from above, they dive to a low level and when attacked from below, they go into a steep climb. With a top speed of 700 km/h, they easily leave our fighters behind. When conducting a ground attack, they gently descend, while contour flying and attack with rockets."

...

"There were four aerial combats during the day. Three were against Me-262s and were without result and one combat with two Fw-190s, which resulted in both of them being shot down."

...

" Losses: During a ground-attack on the Freiwaldau airfield (Jesenik, Czech Republic) by a Me-262, one La-7 was damaged and a mechanic was killed."

Can this information be matched the any German account?

[Jeff Leach]

29 April

In the direction of Dresden, Me-262 showed some activity, protecting their own troops and opposing our aviation.

...

There was one air combat against a pair of Me-262 but it was without result.


30 April

Pairs of enemy Me-262 or Fw-190s (less often groups of four) provided CAP for their own troops.

...

There was one air combat against enemy Me-262s but it was without result.