Date:	Saturday 7 February 1942
Time:
Type:	Messerschmitt Bf 109F-4/Z
Owner/operator:	2./JG 53 Luftwaffe
Registration:	7298
MSN:
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 1 / Occupants: 1
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Location:	Gela airfield, Sicily -   Italy
Phase:	Landing
Nature:	Military
Departure airport:
Destination airport:	Gela airfield (I)

Narrative:
On 7 February 1942 two Bf 109s of 2./JG 53 were totally destroyed (100% damage) in a collision while landing on Gela airfield after an operational flight. Lt Heinrich Hyronimus Ritter von Schwerdtner, an ace with seven victories (one during the Battle of Britain, five on the Eastern Front and the last one over Malta), was killed on his 20th birthday aboard the Bf 109F-4/Z WNr 7298 "black 12", while the other pilot, Lt Erich Thomas, escaped unhurt from the Bf 109F-4/Z WNr 7262 "black 3". A relatively new pilot with JG 53, he had so far no victory but was to survive the war with 16 victories.

"Die Jagdfliegerverbände der deutschen Luftwaffe 1934 bis 1945, Teil 8/II: Einsatz im Mittelmeerraum November 1941 bis December 1942", by Jochen Prien & co. ISBN 978-3-923457-75-8
http://www.ww2.dk/LwOffz%20S-Z%202017.pdf
Luftwaffe claims files and RAF Fighter Command activity files, by Tony Wood and Jim Perry (http://lesbutler.co.uk/claims/tonywood.htm)
http://www.forgottenairfields.com/italy/sicily/caltanisetta/gela-s598.html
http://wikimapia.org/#lang=en&lat=37.131022&lon=14.321464&z=12&m=b

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
02-Feb-2018 22:36	Laurent Rizzotti	Added
22-Mar-2020 08:56	DB	Updated [Operator, Destination airport, Operator]