Colloredo-Mansfeld, Franz Ferdinand

     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Colloredo-Mansfeld Colloredo-Mansfeld
Jméno:
Given Name:
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Franz Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld
Fotografie či obrázek:
Photograph or Picture:
Hodnost:
Rank:
major Squadron Leader
Akademický či vědecký titul:
Academic or Scientific Title:
- -
Šlechtický titul:
Hereditary Title:
hrabě Count
Datum, místo narození:
Date and Place of Birth:
01.03.1910 Řím /
01.03.1910 Roma /
Datum, místo úmrtí:
Date and Place of Decease:
14.01.1944 moře u Berck-sur-Mer /
14.01.1944 Sea near Berck-sur-Mer /
Nejvýznamnější funkce:
(maximálně tři)
Most Important Appointments:
(up to three)
velitel 132. perutě Commander of No. 132 Squadron
Jiné významné skutečnosti:
(maximálně tři)
Other Notable Facts:
(up to three)
Stíhací pilot (3-4-4 vítězství)
Americký občan
Padl v boji
Fighter pilot (3-4-4 Claims)
US Citizen
Killed in Action
Související články:
Related Articles:
Zdroje:
Sources:
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street London, 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
Rajlich, J.: Na nebi hrdého Albionu, část 5, Svět křídel, Cheb 2003
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#338923 Version : 0
     
Příjmení:
Surname:
Colloredo-Mansfeld Colloredo-Mansfeld
Jméno:
Given Name:
Franz Ferdinand Franz Ferdinand
Jméno v originále:
Original Name:
Franz Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld
Všeobecné vzdělání:
General Education:
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DD.MM.RRRR-DD.MM.RRRR
Vojenské vzdělání:
Military Education:
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Důstojnické hodnosti:
Officer Ranks:
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DD.MM.RRRR
Průběh vojenské služby:
Military Career:
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DD.MM.RRRR-DD.MM.RRRR
Vyznamenání:
Awards:
Poznámka:
Note:
- -
Zdroje:
Sources:
Shores C., Williams C.: Aces High, Grub Street London, 1994
Shores C.: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
Rajlich, J.: Na nebi hrdého Albionu, část 5, Svět křídel, Cheb 2003
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#600562 Version : 0
Squadron leader Count Franz Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld, DFC & bar


"The old crony" from Clostermann's book The Great Circus



Franz Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld was born on March 1, 1910, the son of an Austrian diplomat, Count Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld, and his wife, Countess Colloredo-Mansfeld (originally an American named Nora Iselin). He spent part of his childhood with a related branch of the Colloredo-Mansfeld family in Zbiroh near Rokycany in western Bohemia, but otherwise spent most of his youth in Vienna until the family left for the USA (due to the family's presence in the USA and his American mother, Colloredo-Mansfeld is considered by some sources to be American). In the United States he studied at Harvard University, from which he graduated in 1932. During his studies, he also met his wife Mabel Bradley, who became the next Countess Colloredo-Mansfeld after their marriage and who bore three children before her husband's departure for the UK. This distinguished Colloredo-Mansfeld from most of the other pilots who served in the RAF, for the British in particular were, as is well known, mainly young 'rabbits' without families and therefore without significant commitments that would have forced them to protect themselves above all. Colloredo-Mansfeld's courage stands out all the more when, after the Anschluss of Austria (1938), he went to Great Britain to serve as a pilot in the RAF, in contrast to the vast majority of his compatriots who fought mostly in the ranks of the Luftwaffe (e.g. Walter Nowotny, Maximilian Stotz, Hartmann Grasser and others).


In 1942, he is assigned to 72nd Squadron from Biggin Hill airfield, in which he achieves his first success on 5 June 1942 by shooting down (it was acknowledged as probable) a Messerschmitt Bf 109. Shortly afterwards the squadron was rearmed from Spitfires Mk. Vb and Mk. Vc to the new Mk. IX and moved to North Africa via Gibraltar at the end of the year.


Colloredo-Mansfeld remains in England, is promoted to Flight Lieutenant and reassigned to 611 Squadron, in which he earns a reputation as an ace with leadership skills. By this time the RAF was clearly beginning to go on the offensive and the role of the fighters was changing accordingly, with most of them being used to protect bombers attacking Germany. This was most notably the case with 611 Squadron, whose duties included the escorts so well described in Clostermann's book. In the account we learn about the course of the battle:


"I flew as Yellow 1. When we were south of Abbeville, the C.O. reported that the bombers had been attacked. The squadron turned sharply towards the harbour and continued to search the area. At an altitude of about 12,000 feet I spotted three Fw 190s flying at about 5,000 feet below me towards the harbour. I alerted the C.O., turned my back to the sun and attacked with a dive from the sun. I opened fire at 500 yards, but was not sure of the result. Then two of the Fw 190's turned away from the port and I followed the third, who did not shy away from the action. At 300 yards I opened fire and continued until close range, when, owing to the danger of collision, I had to suppress sharply and escape up to the right. The Fw 190 continued to fall, leaving black smoke behind. I followed it to about 5000 feet. I did not see it explode, but everything was confirmed by S/Ldr Armstrong (Red 1). I therefore claim one Fw 190 shot down.″


Further successes followed fairly regularly: on 5 February 1943 he damaged an Fw 190, the very next day another Fw 190 was awarded as a probable victory, on 14 March he was awarded damage to an Fw 190, on 17 May he was awarded as probable and later confirmed to have shot down another Fw 190. On 10 June he shot down another Fw 190:
"I was flying as White 1. While patrolling behind the bombers I spotted two Fw 190s about 1000 feet below me. Making a slight right descending turn, I turned onto my back and fired a second burst from 200 yards away just as the rear enemy aircraft began a steep climb. Flames erupted at the roots of his wings, whipping up against the cabin. The enemy aircraft descended slightly at first, but gradually more until it came to a crash, with heavy smoke behind it. White 4 saw the pilot jump out. I claim a kill on the Fw 190.″
Yet even this shoot down was only accepted as probable by him. His most successful day as a pilot was afforded him on 27 July 1943, when he shot down one Bf 109 and damaged another.


Late in the summer he is reassigned and, as a thirty-three year veteran, promoted to Squadron Leader - that is, commander of 132 Squadron "City of Bombay″ based at 125 Airfield in Detling, which he shares with 184th Squadron and "Clostermann's″ 602nd Squadron, as Pierre Clostermann mentions in a memo dated 28 September 1943. Like the 602nd, the 132nd Squadron forms an interesting "international" composition and they share a common mission - the obligatory bomber escorts. Within its ranks it achieves two more successes in the form of one probable kill and one damaged enemy fighter when luck deserts it on 14 January 1944. The most probable course of his last fight, reconstructed from British and German sources, was this: While escorting bombers B-26 on his Spitfire Mk. IX (MH978) over Doullens, France, was attacked by a German ace, Major Walter Matoni. Colloredo-Mansfeld is hit, but escapes and turns the damaged machine to take the shortest route to England and tries to fly across the Channel. At Berck-sur-Mer, however, he is hit again by flak and his burning machine falls on the beach. The pilot dies in the wreckage.


Squadron leader Franz Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld is buried near the site of his last flight in the Boulogne Eastern Cemetery near Boulogne-sur-Mer. His grave bears the inscription: SQUADRON LEADER / COUNT / F.F. COLLOREDO-MANSFELD / D.F.C. & BAR / PILOT / ROYAL AIR FORCE / 14TH JANUARY 1944. AGE 33. Count Franz Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld - "son of Count Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld and of Countess Colloredo-Mansfeld (nee Iselin); husband of Countess Colloredo-Mansfeld, of Welham, Massachusetts, U.S.A
(Squadron Leader Count F.F. Colloredo-Mansfeld, DFC with stripe, RAF pilot, 14 January 1944, age 33, son of Count Ferdinand Colloredo-Mansfeld and Countess Colloredo-Mansfeld, of Welham, Massachusetts, U.S.A.)



Explanatory notes
C.O. - Commanding Officer



Sources:
http://www.cieldegloire.com/
http://www.611squadronrauxaf.co.uk/
http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn611-620.htm
http://www.vord.net/609/pilots.htm
http://www.wwiiaircraftperformance.org/
http://www.spitfires.ukf.net/p065.htm
http://www.luftwaffe.cz/matoni.html
http://jpgleize.club.fr/aces/ww2kia.htm
www.ormerod.uk.net
And other mentions.

Colloredo-Mansfeld, Franz Ferdinand - V Biggin Hillu, 1943

V Biggin Hillu, 1943
Colloredo-Mansfeld, Franz Ferdinand - 611 peruť v Biggin Hillu, Colloredo-Mansfeld je v přední trojici první zleva

611 peruť v Biggin Hillu, Colloredo-Mansfeld je v přední trojici první zleva
Colloredo-Mansfeld, Franz Ferdinand - Spitfiry 611. perutě za letu. Podle některých pramenů létal Colloredo-Mansfeld se strojem FY-B.

Spitfiry 611. perutě za letu. Podle některých pramenů létal Colloredo-Mansfeld se strojem FY-B.
Colloredo-Mansfeld, Franz Ferdinand - Hrob na Bouloňském východním hřbitově.

Hrob na Bouloňském východním hřbitově.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#242025 Version : 0
Victory Table F. F. Colloredo-Mansfeld


Date
Unit
Airplane type
Place
Enemy
5.6.1942
72. squadron
Spitfire Mk.VB
estuary of Sommy
Bf 109 F pr.
13.1.1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX BS541
J Abbeville
Fw 190 zn.
5.2.1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX BS125
7 miles From Boulogne
Fw 190 pš.
2/16/1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX BS510
Calais region
Fw 190 pr.
14.3.1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX BS451
Boulogne-Le Touquet
FW 190 pš.
5/17/1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX EN573
Caen airport
Fw 190 pr.
6/10/1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX EN573
coast near Ghent
Fw 190 zn.
5.7.1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.VC AR463
10 miles NW Egmond
Bf 109 pš.
7/27/1943
611. squadron
Spitfire Mk.VC AR463
coast near Haarlem
Bf 109 zn.



coast near Haarlem
Bf 109 pš.
10/18/1943
132. squadron
Spitfire Mk.IX MH978
Bethune-Aire area
Fw 190 pr.



Total: 3-4-4 victories


Sources:
Shores C., Williams C .: Aces High, Grub Street, London 1994
Shores C .: Aces High, volume 2, Grub Street, London 1999
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#338924 Version : 0
Spitfire Mk.IX MH978 (FF-M) was one of the machines, which the RAF won thanks to a collection organised by the Bombay War Gifts Committee. This organization has collected a total of 246 035 pounds, for which she took a total of 30 spitfires, which have gone primarily to the two Bombay Squadronám (122 and 132). For this reason, carried under the cab, the gift inscription of the CITY OF BOMBAY. A brand new aircraft that has just left the production line of the factory in Castle Bromwich took over the 3.9. 1943 service unit Well. 33, where about ten days later, the machine took over the No. 405 and 22.9. it břebrala Well. 132 sqn. Colloredo-Mansfeld it was used as a personal machine at least since October, r. 1943. The machine was shot down by 14.1. 1944.

Source:
Jiří Rajlich: Colloredo-Mansfeldové in the second world war, History, and military 2008 no 1.
Colloredo-Mansfeld, Franz Ferdinand - Flt Lt HJL Hallowes at Turnhouse with “City of Bombay” another Indian gift Spitfire given to No. 122 Squadron, RAF. The aircraft is BM 252, MT-E.
http://www.bharat-rakshak.com/IAF/History/1940s/Presentation.html

Flt Lt HJL Hallowes at Turnhouse with “City of Bombay” another Indian gift Spitfire given to No. 122 Squadron, RAF. The aircraft is BM 252, MT-E.
www.bharat-rakshak.com

URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#339150 Version : 0

Diskuse

Myself, I'm interested in on this particular pilot. However, I have a problem. I can't seem to identify his plane in No. 72 squdron, where he flew in r. 1942. At that time the Spitfire Mk.Vb and before leaving the Mediterranean válčiště was přezbrojena on the Mk.Vc. No. 611 is although he is credited with the Spitfire Mk.IX (FY-B EN133), but he was already 14. march 1943 shot down with J.H. Slater, (as commander of the swarm).The aircraft was flying and our pilot Jiří Maňák Until his retirement from the 611 so had to fly completely on another machine or to a new allocated unit. No. 132 arguably, he flew the Mk.IX (FF-M MH978). Unfortunately, I have this Spitfire found only with invading stripes. Though given that this was the aircraft shot down already 14. January so this is strange. I found also the labelling of the last unit of the OU-OF No.485 RNZAF. I also found a side view of the same aircraft but without the serial number, so it is possible that it is only the wrong identification of a spitfire with ivazními prihy is completely different. The newly ranked to No. 132
More information is in the journal of Military science and the history of the number 1. 2008, but still to me it failed to get a hold of.
I will be grateful for the help and the answer.
http://www.markstyling.com/americaneagles3.htm
http://www.luchtoorlog.be/spit_vf3.htm
www.arcforums.com
http://www.raf.mod.uk/dday/rafu.html
www.museum-explorer.org.uk
francecrashes39-45.net.
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#338755 Version : 0
Well with a personal aircraft in the RAF it's hard. Used to have it assigned to commanders of squadrons and above, but that doesn't mean that other pilots nepreferovali a certain aircraft. Most of it shared with other members of the unit. And even with the leadership flew other pilots.

As is evident from the report of his victory, also the Colloredo-Mansfeld at 611. squadron use many planes.

His fateful MH978 could in January 1944 really have a hard time invading stripes..
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#338926 Version : 0
Yes, it's just a shame that the aircraft that he is most attributed to the Well. 611 were unable to obtain a no victory, but thanks to your information I may be able to find the form of one of the machines on which the batch reached and therefore proven to fly. Yet to find out the from the Well. 72 and it would be great..
URL : https://www.valka.cz/Colloredo-Mansfeld-Franz-Ferdinand-t68902#338930 Version : 0
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