Seeking photos of Luft Crashes in Britain on 30 Aug 1940
 

Hello,

For the EoE Project, I'm seeking photos of crashes in Britain on 30 Augusst 1940 for the following Luft a/c. Can anyone help?

1) 4./JG2 Messerschmitt Bf109E-4 (2765). Set alight in combat over Chatham and crashed into woods between Tunbury Avenue and Impton Lane at Walderslade 4.55 p.m. FF Oberfw Karl-Heinz Harbauer baled out but parachute failed and killed. Aircraft White 4 + – 100% write-off.

Note: We have a photo of Harbauer from the Meimberg Collection, but none of the crash itself.

2) 3./JG27 Messerschmitt Bf109E-1 (6270). Forced-landed at Park House, Westwell, radiator damaged in combat during free-lance sortie over London 5.00 p.m. Possibly that claimed by Sgt A.R. Sarre of No.603 Squadron. FF Oberlt Erwin Axthelm captured unhurt. Aircraft Yellow 6 + 100% write-off.

Note: we have a photo of possibly the pilot, Axthelm, and photos of "Yellow 6" on a French AF, that is probably the same a/c lost here, but none of the force-landed a/c down in Britain. Since the plane apparently came down intact, photos probably exist somewhere of this one. This would set up an excellent before and after photo presentation.

3) 5./KG53 Heinkel He111H-2 (3142). Severely damaged in attacks by fighters, including F/L E.J. Gracie of No.56 Squadron, following bombing of Radlett aerodrome. Hit trees while belly-landing at Peebles Farm, Colne Engaine, near Halstead, 4.30 p.m. BO Oberfw Thomas Dietrich killed, BF Fw Alois Hummel, FF Fw Fritz Steinberg and BM Fw Andreas Fellner both captured wounded, HS Uffz Theodor Hugenschütz captured unhurt. Aircraft A1+BN 100% write-off.

Note: no photo coverage of this plane or crew.

4) 6./KG53 Heinkel He111H-2 (2782). Attacked by fighters during sortie to bomb Radlett aerodrome and pilot killed. Possibly that engaged by F/L G.E. Ball and F/O N.K. Stansfeld of No.242 Squadron. Observer took control, dumped bombs in sea, and belly-landed on Goodman’s Farm near Manston airfield 4.35 p.m. FF Fw Fritz Eckert killed, BF Gefr Hans-Georg Köhler captured severely wounded - admitted to Ramsgate Hospital where died three days later, BO Gefr Albert Klapp and BS Gefr Friedrich Glück both captured wounded, BM Fw Kurt Stockl captured unhurt. Aircraft A1+JP 100% write-off.
Fritz Eckert was buried at St John’s Cemetery in Margate, Hans-Georg Köhler at St Lawrence’s Churchyard in Ramsgate.

Note: photos almost certainly exist of this one somewhere.

5) 7./KG53 Heinkel He111H-2. Starboard engine disabled and rudder damaged in attacks by Hurricanes of No.601 Squadron (F/L W.H. Rhodes-Moorhouse, P/O H.T. Gilbert, Sgt R.N. Taylor, and P/O T. Grier) during sortie to bomb Radlett airfield. Port engine caught fire prior to crash-landing in flames near The Rectory at Hunsdon 4.30 p.m. BS Gefr Leo Stilp killed, BS Gefr Fritz Riess captured badly wounded - admitted to Hertford County Hospital where died same day, BO Fw Wilhelm Kusserow, and BF Fw Georg Distler captured wounded, FF Lt Ernst Fischbach captured unhurt. Aircraft A1+CR 100% write-off.

Note: another one that should almost certainly would have photos existing of the wreckage of this a/c. Chris Goss, in his "The Luftwaffe Bombers' Battle of Britain," has an account of this incident from contact with Lt. Fischbach, as well as his portrait photo, but I don't know of any other sources on this one.

6) 6./ZG26 Messerschmitt Bf110C-2 (3496). Both engines damaged in combat with fighters during escort sortie for KG53 and belly-landed at Mill Hill Farm, Rettenden, 4.30 p.m. Possibly that claimed by W/C F.V. Beamish or F/O I.B. Westmacott of No.56 Squadron. FF Uffz Rudolf Franke and BF Uffz Willi Hübner (both of 5/ZG26) captured unhurt. Aircraft 3U+KP 100% write-off.

Note: another one for which photos almost certainly exist somewhere.

For all other crashes in Britain that day, we have at least some photo coverage in the EoE Photos DB, although in some cases these are no more than smoking holes in the ground or images of scattered wreckage. We seek photos of not just of intact a/c but the results of violent crashes leaving little identifiable wreckage behind.

Also, if anyone has photos on the continent of crashes or damages to a/c involved in air activity on 30 August 1940, other than the Bf110C of 3./ZG26, U8+AL down on a French beach, We have many excellent photos of that one. Anything else, I'd like to hear about.

You all have come through wonderfully before, and I'm hoping that we can locate photography of at least some of these six a/c missing in our coverage.

Regards,

Larry Hickey
EoE Project Coordinator