Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

A poor quality copy Of Luft. Q.M's returns dated 24-4-1940 shows a Sd.Fhr. Flasch (hard to make out) a Bildberichter (photo reporter ?) as missing on 2?-4-1940. It looks like 'mit Fw200 d.I/KG40' is it known if his loss is linked to the loss of a Fw200 of I/KG40 on 22-4-1940 crew of Oblt. Beckhaus. The new Condor book shows crew as missing with two POWs, is it known which crewmen were taken prisoner,

Thanks

Brian Bines

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Sdfhr. Karl Platzek was posted MIA after the loss of Beckhause`s Condor.

Regards

Robert

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Thanks Robert for the fast reply,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Shame on you Robert, the name Flasch fit so well with a picture-reporter
...

Rémi

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

According to NVM, Karl Platzek was taken POW when He 115C, 2755 from 1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 106 made an emergency landing at Limingensee east from Namsos.

Sdfhr Flasch von Ln.Kriegsber.Komp. 1 was in the FW 200 of Oblt. Beckhaus. In GQM returns there is a note, which refers to the previous row.

Matti

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

According to the Namentlich Verlustmeldung von WASt the whole crew went missing. Beckhaus, Klann and Krüger is still missing. Schöntahler and Clootz are also missing but declared deceased by court order.

Junker

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

But refering to a brit. document, the same as Brian has in mind, seems that 2 men were pick-up somewhere, a bit in trouble with those papers ,nd particulary their "stabling", maybe Brian could give an help ??

Rémi

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Hi Guys,

Cant help much on this one publications in the UK has stated there were two POW's from the Beckhaus crew, however this is not reflected in the NVM ( as Junkers post). The Beckhaus NVM just mentions the Condor crew with no mention of a PK. Looking on the Flyvrak site it shows He115 M2+AH 2755 Ff Oblt Schrader,B Lt.z.See Shultz and Bf Gunther taken POW with no mention of Karl Platzek. As Matti says the GQM shows the loss of the Beckhaus Condor with what I thought was Sdr.Fhr Flasch ( a good name for a Bildberichter as Remi says) added as being in the missing Condor. However following Roberts post the Flasch could equally read as Plazek, with a poor copy of the GQM and with only the 'la' clear. I think from all this PK Karl Plazek (Flasch) was in the Condor, although Matti has him on an NVM for the He115 as POW ?. Is it a possibility that Plazek (Flasch) was due to fly in the Condor and at the last minute went in the He115 leaving the GQM entry as wrong, but then he is not mentioned in the Flyvrak report,

Hope we get there in the end,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

"Is it a possibility that Plazek (Flasch) was due to fly in the Condor and at the last minute went in the He115 leaving the GQM entry as wrong."

It would be impossible for him to make a last minute schwich, as the Condor took of from Aalborg/DK, and the He 115 flew out of Norway.

Junker

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Gentlemen,

Such speculation is unhelpful. Matti has cited an NVM that states that Sdfr. Karl PLATZEK was amongst the crew of He115C (2755) from 1./KüFlGr.106 that made an emergency landing at Limingensee east from Namsos. That should resolve the question. Whether FLASCH (if he even existed) was lost that same day with the BECKHAUS crew remains to be established. I find no trace of him in the VDK database and am also concious that Matti has Bildberichter Sdfr. FLACK listed as part of the crew of the Fw200 of KGr.zbV.107that crashed near Berlin-Staaken that day (?). Still more digging to be done it seems.

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Peter is right, that more digging is necessary. I did some by re-checking the NVMs and other availabe documents and now it seems, that my previous info is not correct.

This is, what WASt has:
NVM Nr. 2 (20.4.-28.4.40) of I/K.G. 40 reports 5 MIA and reason "Vom Feindflug nicht zurückgekehrt. Keine mutmaßungen über Gründe".
NVM Nr. 11 (22.4.40) of K.Fl.Gr.106, reports 3 POW and reason "Sonderauftrag. Limingensee östlich Namsos".
NVM Nr.5 (31.3.-22.4.40) of Lw.Kr.Ber.Komp.1 reports Sdfhr Plazek MIA and reason "Von einem Aufklärungsflug nach Namsos/Norwegen nicht zurückgekehrt".

Now, for me it seems quite clear, that both Fw 200 and He 115 were lost roughly at the same geographical area, Namsos (which made possible to mix information) and GQM info for Plazek is correct. There is no Sdfhr Flasch in Kr.Ber.Komp.1 and the only loss of that unit in 22.4.1940 is Plazek (he is not POW, but is still MIA). Also, if you look at that bad GQM text (Flasch), it can also be red (as some of you have already done) Plazek (similar forms of the letters: P versus F, z versus s, e versus c and k versus h).

I apologize, that I have drawn too hastilly a conclusion, that Plazek was in He 115, which now seems quite improbable.
Otherwise, based on above written, all could be logical now. Only one thing is still unclear: who was the Bs in He 115 and what happened to him (my guess is, that he made it back to his unit, because NVM doesn't mention him).

Hopefully someone has more/better info or could confirm this case.

Matti

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Matti, thanks for all your work on this,

Much appreciated,

Brian Bines

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

Hi
Me too, took a closer look into the Limingen entry on my flyvrak homepage.
According to vitness reports there were only three airmen on board. Seems like I have to delete Plazek.

Crew names according to a article by Mr.Blom-Pettersen:
Oberleutnant Rudolf Schrader, FF
Leutnant Siegfrid Schultz, beobachter
Unteroffizier Erik Günther, bordfunker.

Article in Swedish newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" also says three men. One "marineløytnant", one "underofficer" og en "flygerløytnant"

Attached a picture from the paper, showing two of the crew. The man in the middle is a Norwegian.

regards Kjell

Re: Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940
 

The three names Kjell mentions are also mentioned in NVM. So, concerning them everything is OK. However, the problem is, that GQM report says: "Notlandung. Flugzeug von besatzung verbrannt. Besatzung versucht Heimkehr in Fußmarsch. (Oblt. Schreder, Ltn Schulz und 2 Mann)". If this is correct, information on one man is still missing. Maybe Marine documents could reveal something?

Matti