Kdo. Lechner

Details

Detachment of NJG2 or possibly formed from elements of 9./NJG2

Unit Commander – Oblt. Alois Lechner.

June 1942 – transferred from Dammgarten to Labiau.

Operated in conjunction with the rail-mounted ground radar station “Sumatra I” in an attempt to stop Russian night raids on East Prussia.

No precise details of its operations are known.

18 Aug 1942 - Lechner achieved two kills this night

18.08.42 Oblt. Alois Lechner 9./NJG 2 DB-3F Schaustenhof at 22.50 hrs

18.08.42 Oblt. Alois Lechner 9./NJG 2 DB-3F Schaustenhof at 23.29 hrs

January 1943 – Kommando Lechner relieved by 10 and 12./NJG 5.

Lechner’s Kommando only succeeded in putting a temporary halt to the Russian night attacks, it was only after the arrival of the NJG 5 units that the Soviet raids were stopped.

The radar train “Sumatra I” belonged to the following unit – LN-Flugmeldeabteilung (E) z.b.V. 21. Each of it’s companies had a train consisting of the following:- Radar (1x Freya and 2x Würzburg), and evaluation section., workrooms, a generator wagon and accommodation units. Nine of these trains (Sumatra I-III, Java I-III and Borneo I-III) had entered service by the summer of 1943.

Lechner, Alois – Career Details

b. 01/10/1911

1934 Qualified as a pilot.

Lufthansa pilot 5/37-?/39.

Joined the Luftwaffe during 1939.

Was serving as a transport pilot as of Sept 1939.

Served as a Blind Flying Instructor for 2yrs - as of ?/40-end 41.

9/NJG2 end 41-?.

Erg.Sta./NJG2 as of 9/3/42-3/6/42.

9/NJG2 as of 18/8/42-30/11/42?.

StK 10/NJG5 1/12/42-1/8/43

StK 1/NJG100 1/8/43-1/1/44

DKiG 17/10/43

GrK I/NJG100 1/1/44-23/2/44.

RK 05/02/1944

MIA 23/2/44 flying Ju88C-6 (360319; V4+MT).

When he died he held the rank of Hauptmann and had 45 victories to his credit.

According to a filigree document produced after July 1944, and illustrated in Luftwaffe im Focus No4, Hauptmann Alois Lechner achieved 26 Abschüssen with the aid of the radar train “Sumatra I” from July 1943 to the time of his death in February 1944.

References

Aders, Gebhard – History of the German Nightfighter Force 1917-45.

Woods, Tony – Luftwaffe Claims Lists “Easter Front Vol. 2 Aug 1942 – December 1942”

Das-ritterkruez.de

Luftwaffe Im Focus No 4 Page 26 Photo/Caption 31

Lechner Career Details via Andrew Fletcher E-Mail 05/01/05