Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Does anyone have full crew of He 111 of Stab KG54 lost on 12.05.1940?
Thanks

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Pilot: Oberfw Gerhard KOPP died of wounds 30 May 1940, Observer: Lt Horst von GUNDLACH PoW to Canada, W/T: Uffz Karl-Heinz SCHULDT PoW later returned to unit, and Flight Engineer: Uffz Gustav BLOMBECKER wounded PoW later returned to unit. Lost during reconnaissance of roads around Ghent. Take/off 4.40 a.m. Last radio message received 6.09 a.m.

Herewith entry from my current work on the Battle of France Then & Now.
Stab KG54 Heinkel He111P. Shot down by Moranes of GC III/1 during reconnaissance of troop movements between Brussels and Antwerp and ditched in the Schelde at Royerssluis near Antwerp 6.30 a.m. Oberfw G. Kö pp reported died of wounds 30 May. Lt H. von Gundlach and Uffz K-H. Schuldt captured unhurt. Uffz G. Blombecker captured wounded. Aircraft a write-off.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Thanks Peter, the book looks excellent.
I am afraid it is not an answer to my question as circumstances do not fit. The aircraft in question likely had codes B3+AB and was partially burned, thus excluding any ditching. It was downed by a groundfire.
BTW
One of the pilots who downed 'yours' aircraft is still alive.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Peter
The new book sounds very interesting, when will it be out?

Juha

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Franek & Juha,

No publication date yet set - still very much a 'work in progress'. Codes you quote suggest Stab I./KG54 to me.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Peter,
thanks for the info, so I'll wait patiently.

Franek
You probably know this already but according to Radtke's KG 54 history Ofw Köpp's a/c was Stab-St. only loss on 12.5.

Juha

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi Juha,

Forgive me for butting in on this thread.
Could you tell me whether Radtke's book is recommendable, ie. is there a good
deal of information regarding losses sustained by this unit?
with in particular tactical codes and werknummers listed.

Rgs,
Steve.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Yes

it has some 30 pages of a/c loss tables, many losses with only partial info and on crews only Flügzeugführer's name is given when known and there are many losses without FF's name, even some 100% losses. But buy it if You can find one.
Tables give when known: Date, A/c type, WNr, Kennnzeichen, Verluststart, Damage%, FF, Verlustort. But as i said there is many ?s.
BTW its all in German.

HTH
Juha

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Many thanks Juha,

That sounds good enough for me.
Thank you for your views, i shall try to locate a copy.
Rgs,
Steve.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Thanks for the replies, though I am pretty confused now. According to my data, the photo should have been taken between 10-12 May 1940 somewhere around Franco-Belgian border.
Hmm

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Correct day is 13 May!

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hello Franek

According to Radtke the only loss of KG 54 on 13.5. was He 111-P B3+?L 3./KG 54 reason unknown 100% FF Uffz. Hoffmann near Namur.

BTW 12.5. there was a He 111-P Kennzeihen unknown 2./KG 54 reason u/k 100% loss, FF Ogefr. Haase, Lost location Belgium



Juha

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

I am completely confused!

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Peter:

Will this be a publication by "After The Battle"? How will it differ from J-P Pallud's Blitzkrieg in the West? Or is this more oriented towards the air war?

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hello,

Just to complete this info, 11 MS406 from GCIII/1, 5 Escadrille shooted this He111 down at 5 km from NW of Anvers/Antwerp, near the Escaut mouth. please note that the MS406 n°1031 "1" was hit at the engine and land on the belly near Anvers. Pilot Lt Bursztyn wounded.
Regards

Jerome

Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi,

The Royerssluis is on of the (older) locks used between the Antwerp docks area and the River Schelde and is still in use.

Lt.Bursztyn of GCIII/I was transported wounded to a hospital in Gent.
Who can supply me his first name ?
French publications very often only mention the initials, but no full names.

Many thanks and best regards

Luc

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi,

Por.Kazimierz Bursztyn.

Regards

Robert

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi Luc you're right finding the full names of airmen of the Armée de l'Air is often hard.

As for the Polish and Czech airmen, the book "Ils étaient là" has a good list of the full names of those that reached operationnal units. If you search any, I will be pleased to give you the full names listed.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Oh, the same reffers eg. to RAF airmen.

Is the book written by native speakers? French tend to distort Polish names so badly, sometimes it is not possible to identify a man!

According to Polish sources the only victors were ppor. pil. Władysław Chciuk and ppor. pil. Władysław Gnyś, apart of Bursztyn. Perhaps it was credited to the French according to their victory system. Bursztyn's Morane was a romanic I rather than arabic 1 as confirmed by photos.

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi Laurent & Franek,

I checked the book n°5 "le Morane Saulnier MS406" from Avions pubs re the claims for the He111.
11 pilots were credited for this victory:
Lt du Boucher, Lt Bursztyn, Lt Leenhardt, S/Lt Calmel, S/Lt Chciuck (misprint), S/Lt Gnys (misprint), Adj Crémieux, Adj Gagnaire, S/C Cazade, S/C Paulhan, Sgt Pradon.

Regards

Jerome

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi John,

Current plans are that the project will concentrate on air operations over the Western front from the outbreak of WWII to 10 July 1940 when BoBT&N 'kicks-in'. Dutch, Belgian, French, British & German claims & losses will be covered. Hopefully, it should compliment Jean-Paul's excellent coverage quite nicely.

12.05.1940
 

Laurent,

Many thanks for your kind offer.
For 12/05/1940 I'm missing the full names of :
Adj.Chef Levasseur - Bloch 152
Lt.Beran - Morane 406
Adj.Bassaget - Morane 406
S-Lt. Calmel - Morane 406
S-Lt. Rupied - Morane 406
Lt.Delattre and Adj. Di Matteo - Breguet 693
Adj.Chef Richard and Adj.Chef Renaudie - Breguet 693
S-Lt.Henry and S-Lt.besson-Guyard - Breguet 693
Adj.Chef Goyer and Sgt.Tupin - Breguet 693
Adj.Chef Boulanger and Sgt.Roux - Breguet 693
Comm.Plou and Adj.Poitrot - Breguet 693
Lt.Lelu and sgt.Massaux - Breguet 693
S-lt. de la Porte du Theil - Breguet 693
S-Lt.Moreau,S-Lt.Touret and Sgt.Bernet - Potez 63.11
Capt.Lainey,Lt.Detrie and Adj.Gres - Potez 63.11
Sgt-Chef Sordet,S-Lt.Lamy and Sgt.Vanaret - Potez 63.11
Capt.Montagnon and Lt.Jean - Mureaux 115

Many thanks in advance and best regards from tropical Belgium !

Luc

Re: Stab KG54 loss on 12.05.1940
 

Hi Luc,

Capt. Jindrich Beran, Czech.

Regards,
Michal