Henschel 129 & Family History

Good Evening,

I ask for your assistance in helping me with some research relating to my grandfather, Franz Wondrak.

My Grandfather now passed away flew for the Luftwaffe during WW2. He did not talk much about the war however the information i do know is that he flew Henschel 129 “Tankbusting” aircraft and was stationed in France (normandy). He was in fact shot down by an American P47 Thuderbolt and was captured and eventually became a POW in Bristol near Frenchay.

I am attending a battlefield tour of Normandy where i also have a great uncle Anton Wondrak who is buried in one of the cemetaries outside of St Lo who i am also going to visit.

I am kindly asking prior to my trip, does anyone have any info or can anyone aid me in where best to look in order to source information on my Grandfathers unit, its fate and even a combat report from the p47 that shot him down.

I know there is limited detail on the Henscel 129’s service record in Normandy from another forum:

“In Smith and Kay German Aircraft of the Second World War p337

noting the moves of german units to the west a reference is made to “erganzungsgruppen” being made operational including a “Hs 129 unit, probably a staffel of III. / SG 151”

this formation was based at Caen -Carpiquet and appeared over the allied beaches during the D Day landings. One aircraft was captured in July 1944, but its subsequent fate is not recorded” (i believe there is a photo of this aircraft on canadian forums of the aircraft being assessed at Carpiquet)

Thanking you so much in advance any help or even ideas of where to look would help me so much.