Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Looking for any info about two German aircraft (presumably bombers) that collided with the 75-mtr high radio masts at Ruiselede, Belgium in (or between) June and August 1940.
A source also says the two collisions were within three days in August 1940.
Both a/c went down with loss of life (reportedly 9 in total).

Masts were blown up in October 1940 by the Germans.

Thanks for any help.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

I have a note that a Do17 of 6/KG3 collided with a radio mast near Gent on 29-8-40 crew killed, unfortunately that is all I have,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Hello,

According to the EoE Luft Loss DB: "August 29, 1940: 6./KG3 Dornier Do17Z-3 (3480). Flew into a radio mast and crashed at Doomkerk, north of Tielt. FF Lt Günther Zein, FF Uffz Günther Hein, and BS Gefr Gerhard Schubert all killed. Aircraft 5K+FP 100% write-off."

Regards,

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Thanks for this first info, which perfectly fits the picture.
Date of the other collision still unknown, but I'm sure details will emerge.

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Hi Gents ,

Perhaps this could be the 2nd aircraft who hit the radio antenna :


28/08/1940
Ruiselede
He-111 H-2 Hit an obstacle
III./KG 53 A1+ Le Culot
Lt Weber Ulrich (KIA)

Gefr Eisenhöfer Walter (KIA) 24/04/1917 - 41/526

Uffz Lehrhuber Anton (KIA) 24/05/1914- 41/558

Flg Federling Wilhelm (WND-KIA) 27/07/1922 - 41-456

Flg Federling Wilhelm die don 7/08/40

All buried at Lommel Belgium

Regards

Alain57

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Alain,

Thanks for this additional info. It certainly looks like the second a/c that hit the masts. In fact, they were over 270 meters high...

Groet,

Leendert

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

The loss of the Weber crew is reported in Qm's returns dated 28-8-40 as happening on the 26-8-40 it struck ground near Brugge while on an 'F' flight. The KG53 book has them lost on the 27-8-40, was this then a night loss on the 26/27th, the book shows Lehrhuber and Federling both as Bs with Eisenhofer as the Bf so was there a 'B' who survived ?
Qm's returns dated 31-8-40 shows the Zein crew as hitting a radio mast by Gent with 3 killed on an 'H' flight on the 29-8-40, once again is it known if anyone survived.
Ruiselede appears south of Brugge and west of Gent so I guess the QM's returns were not too site specific,


Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Stabsstaffel III./KG53 Heinkel He111H-2. Collided with radio mast and crashed at Ruiselede, 12 km south-east of Bruges, during night sortie. FF Lt Ullrich Weber, BO Uffz Anton Lehrhuber, BF Gefr Walter Eisenhöfer, and HS Flgr Wilhelm Federling all killed. Aircraft 100% write-off.

LEHRUBER was a Bomben-Schutze rather than Bord-Schutze and I am not aware that FEDERLING survived this crash.

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Gents ,

According to the Volksbund site Flg Federling Wilhelm (WND-KIA) 27/07/1922 is buried at the German cemetery in Lommel Belgium at plot 41 grave 456.

Regards

Alain57

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Gents ,

Lt Zein Günther ( KIA ) pilot born 18/12/1918 buried Lommel Belgium in plot 41grave 530 - Uffz Hein Günther ( KIA ) born 01/05/1914 buried Lommel Belgium in plot 41 grave 533.

Regards

Alain57

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Thanks to all contributors to sort this out. Local reports indeed tell of a night collision and the other one in misty weather.

It so appears that the masts had claimed more victims on 30 Dec 1933 when an Imperial Airways airliner (Avro Ten "Apollo", G-ABLU) had drifted off course and collided with the tall structures....

Regards,

Leendert

Re: Radio Mast collisions summer 1940 Belgium
 

Also this from ULTRA — unfortunately not specific as to the unit or the location. From the material I've read, the British did not know what unit LOEWE was (it does not however seem to be KG 26, which I thought at first).