Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Hello, Forumites.
I am researching the loss of a Ju88 which occured on the 26th July 1944 in France. The aircraft concerned was from I/KG54 - B3+GK, WrNr 140521. Does anybody know when/where this aircraft was built and its service history until its loss during the Normandy campaign in 1944?
Tia
Andy Bigweeker

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Hi Andy,
it was built at Junkers Flugzeug -u. Motorenwerke AG Bernburg in January 1943. Stammkennzeichen ND+RU. That is all I have.

Norbert

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Flugzeug Zweigwerk Bernburg (FZB)

regards
ed

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

:D

What does that mean?

Correct is Flugzeugbau Zweigwerk Bernburg.

Regards
Peter

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

yes, it was a Flugzeugbau

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Now the question appears on the horizon: How important is it to be able to understand German, when dealing with the German aviation history? :confused:

Hmm...Apparently it is not important.

Regards
Peter

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Thank you all very much for your replies
AB

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Good point. Learning German in school 40 years ago makes one get rusty over the years. Else, I feel this discussion be sinking below the topic question horizon.

regards
ed

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Just another small question:
What would the colour scheme have been at that time? The standard Green/dark green/Hellblau or would it have the Grey/Mattblack finish.
tia
AB

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

I understand German and I wouldn't want to be without it. On the other hand, some very good work is done by people who know very little of the language. It's when people who don't know German don't check with someone who does that trouble arises, I think.

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Probably the standard two tone green overpainted with the "Wellenmuster".

Regards,
Rudi.

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

... and possibly dark undersides (for night-ops), and likely with much dirt and/or dulling (overspraying) of underwing insignias.
A photo of the aircraft in question is really needed for knowing for shure how it looked. For an aircraft be "old" it might have had much modification of the original paints (RLM 70/71/65).

@Nick. No need continuing that discussion, not on my part. I fully appricate Peters comments, and respect them.

For those who want know how each branch, department or sub-factory was written, there is list of them on-line (Holgeir Lorenz website).

http://www.flugzeug-lorenz.de/index.php?id=114

Look up Karheinz Kindermann, Vertrieb Flugzeugbau there or see http://thetartanterror.blogspot.com/...indermann.html

Whereas the layout-plan (on website below) omits the "-"

http://www.freundebernburgs.de/bbg-c...urg&Itemid=115

Slightly off topic, I include photo (below) of mainplate on Ju 52/3m g4e HB-HOT assembled at Flugzeugbau-Zweigwerk Bernburg in 1939. Note (Bb 5) stamp. Its not always needed go "far away" for research, especially if the aircraft is still flying, and stops at local airfield, barely five minutes drive from one´s own home (needless to say, thats my own photo).

regards
ed

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

My answer is more related to the discussion in the thread on the Ju 87 book.

Unfortunately, I can only express myself in bad English. (I also have no plans to write a book about the Spitfire.:D)

The problem is, very few readers can really judge the quality of a book. I can not judge the quality of the other books by Smith/Creek or others, eg on the He 177 or Do 335. But I fear that books are just as bad. An important reason is the lack of German language skills.
What I miss is the contact with the former employee. I met a lot of them, so Mr. Cyron, which worked 1935/36 in the design office with Mr. Gassner. I met Mr. Pohlmann (designer of the Ju 87), just before he died. During these discussions, you will receive invaluable information.

All the books that relate to my area of expertise (Junkers) and coming from UK / U.S. are simply bad. I only know of one good publication on Junkers aircraft: Kössler/Ott: Die großen Dessauer. This is in German.

Another example is this book: This is so bad that I had to cry when reading. Incredible mistakes inside. Unfortunately, I appear in the acknowledgments, as Mr. Petrick forwarded some information from me to Smith / Creek.

BTW: German publishers also produce a lot of bad books.

Regards
Peter

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Peter

Then it is unfortunate you cannot read Swedish since Lennart Andersson has produced an excellent book about the Junkers in Sweden (AB Flygindustri i Limhamn 1925-1935), but I presume you are number one subscriber for his F.13 book just published. Then you can count at least three excellent Junkers books in your library.

I also think there are more then me who eagerly awaits your own magnus opus about German aircraft 1919-1945!:)

Cheers
Stig

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

Re: Ju88 loss July 1944
 

The book on AFi is on my wish list. Andersson did a good job - as a Swede.:D

Please take a look to my post in the thread on the Ju 87 book. My comments related to the "later Junkers aircraft" from Ju 86.

I'm in email contact with Mr Andersson.:)

I will do my very best.:p

Regards
Peter

Karl-Heinz Kindermann joined Junkers in 1925 as a mechanic apprentice and in 1934 as pilot. He died in 1994.