Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...9b2e293e889408

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...400fff373655ea

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...f9916450a3f717

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

The Ju 88 photos could be this one:Ju 88A-5 0285 Stuckmann, Ltn. Wilhelm 2.(F) 122 F6+AK 25-Jul-41 MIA with crew, cause unknown. Ostfront Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #3)-Vol.5 (Moskau-Kaluga)

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

John,

Did you notice what sems to be a victory bar on the planes rudder?

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

Yes, I did, Philippe. It is actually on the vertical stabilizer. At first I thought it might be a rudder repair tag, but on the shot in the forest, it looks too big for that. Maybe a gunner shot something down?

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

Do the crew named in the linked picture above relate to any loss reports?

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

Stephen,

Q.M's returns dated 20-9-1941 shows :- 14-9-1941 Ju88A5 5K+AB of StabI/KG3 w.n 4297 misssing from a Feindflug (Vjasna) with Ff. Uffz. Rudolf Theuser, B. Gef. Walter Rissik, Bf. Ogef. Josef Trocha, Bs Gef Gerald Illmann all missing. Wonder if they ever made it home,

Regards

Brian Bines

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

Thank you Brian. What a stark picture! Interesting that the names were recorded; we can thank the American journalists for that. I wonder the same thing about the airmen's fate. I hope they survived, but it’s doubtful. It was only 1941, and they were obviously already in bad shape (from crash/bailout and/or mistreatment) -- the odds of getting out alive in the long run weren't good. Sad to think this may have been the last time they were "seen" outside of Russia. Perhaps, at least, the photo reached the German missing persons authorities and, in turn, the men’s families . . .

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

Another picture of the three men . . .

http://images.google.com/hosted/life...life%26hl%3Den

Re: Link to interesting LIFE photographs
 

According to the Osprey publication 'Kampfflieger' Soviet figures show approx. 2.4 million German Servicemen taken prisoner with 356.000 dying in captivity. If correct many more made it home than I prevously thought, particurlarly with only 5000 of those captured at Stalingrad returning.