Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Good morning Gentlemen,

"Dornier Do 217 Units of World War 2" by Chris Goss is an excellent sequel to his Do 17 book. It describes how that bomber had to serve in a very demanding environment and also includes the nightfighter missions of the Do 217.

I wonder if it is possible to define the pilot who flew the most Do 217 missions and think a very promising candidate is Wolfgang Hankamer. He had a total of 264 missions and his units were mainly equipped with the Do 217 in the following periods: 6-7/41, 9/41-2/43 and 7-10/44 = 21 months. Therefore he might have ~151 Do 217 missions. The closest runner-up by that approximative calculation is Karl Kessel. The nightfighter ace Rudolf Schoenert might even have flown more Do 217 missions.

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Again the crucial thing is a FB. I have the final pages for Joseph Steudel's who had 165 missions Do 17/217 from October 1940 to March 1944. His 100th against England came on 29 March 1944. Sadly the Do 17/217 numbers are not there as earlier FB are lost

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Hi, when did Steudel fly his 165th mission ?

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Against Plymouth 30 Apr 44

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Hello Chris,

hmm ... that means he flew the Do 217 for ~64% of his service time, which implies his Do 217 mission total is ~106. If so, it might secure him a rank within the top 10 but not the top rank.

Cheers,

Michael

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Cannot say for sure as earlier FBs are missing

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Andreas Zapf is a renowned collector of flight logs but his list doesn't include Hankamer or Steudel. The Bundesarchiv has only a personal file for Steudel but not for download.

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Photos and documents for Steudel are with his family

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

I stayed with Joseph and Elizabeth Steudel for a week in October 2000. I interviewed him and copied all of his photographs and documents.

I'm sure I have all of his flight details for the Battle of Britain, Greece, Russia.

I thought I had copied all of his FBs. I wasn't aware any were missing. I'll dig them out and check!

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

That is interesting David. Both are now long gone but I was in touch with the family and even gave a virtual eulogy at the son's remembrance service. He had sent me scans of all he had including photos and one Leistungsbuch. No FB. I have had a closer look at his "Remembrances" which includes the citation for the DKiG. First flew 8 Aug 40 and flew 17 day and 58 night missions against UK, 4 Yugoslavia, 8 Greece, 18 Crete and 28 Russia which makes 133 and therefore 32 missions with the Do 217

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

I wonder if the documents, FBs etc were split amongst the family as it would appear that I have his FBs from 3.4.1939- 4.1.1940, then 10.5.40 - 12.9.43 and his last Feindfluge for 3.9.43 to 30.4.44.

I also have a complete copy of his personal diary, some of which I have translated.

It's all in 4 box files, I'll go through them when I get time.

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Interesting. I was in touch with all the family but got most of my material from Guenther in Canada. There was also Erik and Ernest Steudel but I only spoke to them. There was talk of selling or disposing of what they had. I remember seeing an EP but no DKiG or RK

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

When I visited Joseph he had all of his medals, including his German Cross and Knight's Cross. I do have several photos of his medal collection taken at the time.

Would be a shame to think they had sold everything. Great collection though!

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Shame indeed

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Good afternoon,

is it true that Mr Steudel's given name in ww2 was Josef and that he changed it to Joseph later?

Michael

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

Josef in wartime records

Re: Dornier Do 217 top pilot Wolfgang Hankamer
 

The Do 217 mission total of Wolfgang Hankamer is more difficult to find out because he not only flew the Do 17 and the Do 217 but also the Ju 88 und Ju 188.