Unknown 403 ERKS and a Decoy German Aircraft Aircraft Now Identified – Maybe One Erk?

Another great post from Mark White…

Another photo from my dad George White’s collection. The caption just says “Destroyed FW 190”.

You will recognize the erks in the photo from my dad’s crew. When it comes to playing with German aircraft they look like kids in a toy store.

The German hangar in the background is probably at the Fassberg airfield. The aircraft is a Focke-Wulf 190A. The fuselage band and style/colors of the number were typical for Sturmstaffel 1 in the spring of 1944.    

Sturmstaffel 1 was redesignated 11./JG 3 in May 1944.

It was odd that this aircraft with these markings would still be around at the end of the war. It was kept for a purpose.

If you look closely, you will notice that not only has this aircraft been stripped of usable parts, but it was re-stored with some extra struts so it could act as an airfield decoy for the Allied bombing and straffing attacks.
 

 

 

I think this erk sitting on the decoy might be Albert “Al” Johnson.

Cheers,

Mark White

January 2014