Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

Hello,

On 27 December 1941, according to the now old book "Malta the Hurrican years", two Ju 88s were shot down near Malta:

1) in the morning the Ju 88 3Z+BM of Stab II./KG 77 was shot down in the sea by Flt Lt Carpenter of 126 Sqn. The pilot was Hptm Eberhard Stahle. Can someone provide more details (Ju 88 subtype and WNr, names and fate of the crew) ?

2) in the evening Plt Off Winton of 1435 Flight intercepted a Ju 88 at 2020 hrs and set it on fire over Valetta with many witnesses. The searchlights followed it until it crashed in the sea with a violent explosion. But this loss is not identified in the book.

The book "Call-out: a wartime diary of air/sea rescue operations at Malta", by Frederick R. Galea, said for this day:
"Call-out for HSL128 for a Ju88 shot down. Riddlestone noted: 'Found their dinghy, nothing else.' The distance covered was 35 miles in 2 hours 49 minutes."

The distance is coherent with the morning battle, not with a Ju 88 crashing just off the island.

I would like to identify the second Ju 88 if possible. It may be an overclaiming (a bomber escaping with damage and the explosion being the bombload dropped in the sea).

This day the Ju 88 A4 WNr 1041 of KGr 606 was damaged at 10% by a fighter over Malta and two crew, Uffz Johann Krause (pilot) and Fw Adolf Kronwald (observer), were wounded. In the battle in the morning, the RAF pilots claimed one Ju 88 shot down (by Carpenter) and two other damaged, but the German formation was small (three Ju 88s) and I doubt II./KG 77 and KGr 606 would be both involved in such a small raid, so the KGR 606 aircraft might have been attacked by Tyson and survived.

Another possibility for the evening loss was the Ju 88 A-4 7T+XH WNr 1400 of 1./KGr 606 that is listed in the German loss lists as a total loss (100%) in the area of Marsala, Sicily, on 28 December 1941 for an unknown reason. Three crew, Lt Herbert Beiwal (pilot), Uffz Herbert Diem (observer) and Gefr Ludwig Penader (air gunner)) are listed as killed, the fourth one, Gefr Eberhard Weisspflug (radio), is missing.

But I found one of the crew, Uffz Herbert Diem, in the Volksbund database. He is buried in Sicily and his death place is noted as "north of Sicily".

If someone has another proposal for the evening loss, I will be interested.

Best regards

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

Why not ask the author direct? I belive one (or more) of them be members here.
My apologies if in error.

http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/member...itor_messaging

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

The Daily Report by Superaereo quotes the German report stating that one Ju 88 was lost over Malta during the night 27/28 December.

All the best

Andreas

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

Ju 88 C-4 0880636 R4+CL perhaps?

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

For Stahle, this is what the Kracker Archive has for his aircraft:

Ju 88A-4 Werk # 6591 "3Z + BM" (lost 12/27/41)

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

Ju 88 losses in the Med for 27/28-Dec-41 from my database. I'll leave it to you to sort out those that might answer your inquiry. (I've added SKZ where thought to be known - can't guarantee that they are totally accurate.)

Ju 88A-5, 0644, Granser, Ogefr. Ernst, , III., 7., LG 1, , , GE+YI, , 27-Dec-41, Crew killed in crash due to accidently striking the ground., WNr. 8604 - an A-4 - on 24-Dec-41 at Dumar per loss., Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7; Taghon, LG 1, I, p.461, , Dunaalmas, 100%, H, Bo Ogefr. Walter Hessel, Bf Gefr. Erwin Frank & Bs Fw. Otto Bandow, , Junkers Flzg.Werke Bernburg in Dec-40

Ju 88A-4, 1041, Krause, Uffz. Johann, , , , KüFlGr. 606, , , DH+ND, , 27-Dec-41, WIA due to enemy fighters. B also WIA., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7, Medcalf, (Malta), 10%, F, B Fw. Adolf Kronwald, , Junkers Flzg.Werke Bernburg in Apr-41?

Ju 88A-5, 4150, n.n., , II., 6., LG 1, , , BI+OI, , 27-Dec-41, Bauchlandung due to engine trouble., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7; Taghon, LG 1, I, p.461, Medcalf, Via Balbia, 70%, F, , , Dornier Flzg.Werke Wismar in Aug-40

Ju 88A-5/trop, 4371, Keibl, Uffz. Karl, , III., 8., LG 1, , L1+KS, TJ+OU, , 27-Dec-41, POW with crew due to Luftkampf Hurricane from 229 Sq. (S/Lt. Smith). Sortie to Via Balbia., WNr. 4321 per loss - a dup with earlier loss., Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7; Taghon, LG 1, I, p.461, Medcalf, Derna, 100%, F, B Ogefr. Helmuth Schmerder, Bf Ogefr. Paul Fay & Bs Gefr. Johann Olbert, , Dornier Flzg.Werke Wismar in May-41

Ju 88A-4, 6591, Stähle, Hptm. Eberhard, , II., 4., KG 77, weiße B, 3Z+BM, KJ+UP, , 27-Dec-41, MIA with crew, cause unknown., , Lfl.2/Eins.Mittelmeer-Afrika/Deutschland, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7, Medcalf, (Malta), 100%, F, B Ltn. Helmut Münch, Bf Fw. Jakob Anschau & Bs Fw. Erich Schweda, , ATG Flzg.Werke Leipzig in Nov-41

Ju 88C-4, 0636, Babinek, Ltn. Wilfried, , I., 3., NJG 2, gelbe C, R4+CL, GE+YA, , 28-Dec-41, KIA with crew due to Flak., , Lfl.2/Eins.Mittelmeer-Afrika/Nachtjagd, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7; Rökker, I./NJG 2, p.38, Medcalf, (Malta), 100%, F, Bf Ogefr. Heinrich Schwarz & Bs Gefr. Willy Gutt, , Junkers Flzg.Werke Bernburg in Dec-40

Ju 88A-4, 1400, Beiwel, Ltn. Herbert, , I., 2., KüFlGr. 606, , 7T+EK, GI+WR, , 28-Dec-41, KIA, cause unknown. B & Bm also KIA, Bf MIA., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7, Medcalf, (Marsala), 100%, F, B Uffz. Herbert Diem, Bf Gefr. Eberhard Weissflug & Bm Gefr. Ludwig Ponader, , Junkers Flzg.Werke Bernburg in Aug-41

Ju 88A-4, 1588, n.n., , I., , KGr. 806, , , , , 28-Dec-41, Bruchlandung due to pilot error., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #4)-Vol.7, Medcalf, Fl.Pl. Catania, 40%, F, , , Junkers Flzg.Werke Bernburg in Oct-41

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

"I've added SKZ where thought to be known - can't guarantee that they are totally accurate."

Right, they are not. Please tell relevancy between 0644 and 8604.

Re: Luftwaffe losses on 27 December 1941 around Malta
 

Thanks to all who replied

Andreas, I will be interested to know what these daily reports might say about German losses during daylight on the 27th and during the night of 28/29.

There are three losses in Jim's list taking place in Malta/Sicily area for 27-28 December 1941: one of 4./KG 77, one of 3./NJG 2 and one of 2./KGr 606.

The German nightfighter crashed according to my sources in the evening of the 28th, as shown in the Malta diary available online.
"1940-2057 hrs (on the 28th) Air raid alarm. One JU 88 approached and carried out complete circuit of Island – crossed south coast and dropped bombs on Qrendi landing strip. Enemy aircraft was illuminated for periods of two, one and half a minute. Heavy Ack Ack shrapnel and bofors engaged. Aircraft hit and crashed west of Hal Far."

Right now, I see two possibilities:
1) the 4./KG 77 loss took not place during the daylight battle, but was actually during the evening. So my question about what the Italian diary tells about the day activities.
2) the Ju 88 lost during the night as reported by the Germans and the Italian war diary was actually the KGr 606 that just went missing. It actually crashed off Sicily, not off Malta, possibly after getting lost. But as it went missing during a mission to Malta, it was recorded as lost over Malta.

Best regards