Captured enemy aircraft at Wunstorf airfield, April 1945

Back to Wunstorf and Neustadt April 1945 Photographs

A captured Messerschmitt Bf 109G and a pair of Ju 88G night-fighters in a hangar at Wunstorf airfield in Germany, captured by elements of 5th Parachute Brigade on 7 April 1945.

After Operation Varsity on 24 March 1945 the battalion advanced into Germany and by 7 April had reached Petershagen, in between Osnabrück and Hanover. It continued to proceed east by motor transport and encountered enemy forces defending Wunstorf airfield at around 14:30 hours, although earlier reconnaissance reports had indicated that it had been abandoned, resulting in the ambush of the leading elements of B Coy.

During the battle, in which the 13th Battalion was also engaged, the 7th Battalion lost 6 killed, and 21 wounded, most from the initial ambush of the four leading trucks of B Coy.The airfield was captured with 19 ME 109s, 4 FW 109s, 2 JU 88s, 2 JU 52s and much other valuable equipment.