well here are the impressions of a Uhu experten
Hello Erich, hello Peter,
Just recovering from the 'safe landing' of our lovely daughter Juliėtte on March 2nd. I saw your messages:
He217 A-7
There are some primary sources mentioning that the I.NJG 1 had A-7's in their inventory: Microfilm Reel no.12 (Gen Qm. Abt. 6 Luftwaffe losses) says that on February 3rd 1945 two He219 A-7 from the I.NJG 1 were damaged by fighter bombers on Fliegerhorst Ludwigslust, the Wnr. 310205 and 310190. Further: the listings from the Flugzeugbestand und Bewegungsmeldungen I.NJG 1 do mention also that the I.NJG 1 had some He219 A-7's.
Even if we should not have these primary evidence, the fact that the I.NJG 1 was the only unit in the nightfighter force, that converted completely to the He219 during the first months of 1944, makes it very unlikely that they never used the A-7 subtype.
Now the ejection seats in the He219. Despite the life saving capabilities of these chairs, the fysical sensations for the crew were quite unpleasant. The description 'Katapult Anlage' needs no further explanation... The first documented use of the He219 ejection seats 'im Einsatz' was in the night of 11/12th April 1944 when the crew of Uffz.Herter/Gfr.Perbix, 2/NJG 1 saved their lives. The He219 crashed near Weert/Netherlands and its remaining wreck parts were salvaged in March 1979.
All the best, Marcel
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