He115 attacked DC-3
 

Hi Guys


On 26 September 1939, a He115 attacked a Dutch civilian DC-3 (PH-ASM of KLM) arriving from Sweden. A Swedish passenger was killed but the DC-3 managed to land at Schiphol.


Has anyone any further details? Which unit was He115 from? Crew? Captain of DC-3? Who was the passenger killed?


Cheers

Brian

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Hei,

Captain of the DC 3 was Jan Moll, the killed passenger was 38 year old Gustav Lamm. The He 115 should be K6 + XH from 1/406

Regards,

Mathieu.

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Many thanks Mathieu

Just what I was seeking

Cheers
Brian

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

It is correct that the Luftwaffe aircraft involved was He 115 "X" from 1./406. The aircraft was returning to its home station in List auf Sylt from a routine recce sortie, when they observed a twin-engined dark coloured aircraft. The Heinkel came in from behind and opened fire at a distance of about 300 meters. Then both aircraft were hidden in clouds for a few moments, but the Heinkel came once again in from behind, but at closer distance the crew could see the letters PH on the "enemy" aircraft. They then understood that it was a dutch civil aircraft and further attacks stopped. When landing in Amsterdam a total of about 30 hits were found on the DC-3, including hits in the oil- and fuel tanks. The Swedish citizen Gustav Robert Lamm, age 38, was killed. The German crew said that the incident took place in 700 m altitude, while the Dutch captain claims 900 meters. The DC-3 had passed over Denmark and entered the Noth Sea via Blaavandshuk on Jutland.

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Many thanks once again, Seaplanes.

Much appreciated.
Cheers
Brian

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Not very important: the ship's name was MEES (titmouse)
Mees served in the Luftwaffe as NA+LE and later on in the Lufthansa as D-ATJG.
pp

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Thanks for that, Paul

Much appreciated.
Cheers
Brian

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Hei,

"when they observed a twin-engined dark coloured aircraft"

The DC 3 was beside the KLM text, not painted. But because of the war the word holland was painted in large capitals under and on both sides of the fuselage! After this incident the DC 3s of the KLM were painted completely orange. At the Aviodrome museum there is a DC 3 painted like such a DC 3, I'll see that I can post an image. There was a crew of 5 on board and 12 passengers. According Dutch reports the DC 3 was hit by more than 80 bullets. According German reports it happened in sector Q 9333.

Regards,

Mathieu.

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

The serial number of DC-3-194G "PH-ASM" was #2142.
After capture by Germans, "PH-ASM" served in Lufthansa airlines. Damaged in landing accident at Oslo-Fornebu on 21.08.1941. Dismantled aircraft was send to Swissair works at Dubendorf-Wangen. During repair (nose section reconstruction) several "patched" bullet holes were discovered. After repair (which cost 65000 RM and involved 26718 man hours) on 29.06.1942 returned to Lufhansa. Last recorded flight was on 3.09.1944. Probably destroyed by strafing allied aircrafts on late 1944 or 1945.

Re: He115 attacked DC-3
 

Hei Brian,

Attached a photo of the crew after there arrival at Schiphol.
From left to right: flight engineer Hoogeveen, wireless operator v/d Hoek-Ostende, stewerdess Wijnoldi, captain Moll, ass. flight engineer Groenendijk. It seems that there was no co-pilot onboard, something that was not that unusual by KLM at that time.

Regards,

Mathieu.