Bv 138 losses
 

Can anyone give me details (crew, WNr., Stkz, loss reason, etc) for Bv 138s lost on the following dates:

18/11/40
25/11//40
15/5/41
15/5/42
5/8/42 - possibly 310 043, K6+CL
8/1/43
9/1/43
2/2/43 - possibly K6+IL
19/3/43
10/8/43

Sorry it's a long list, I know. I don't know if one or two are double-ups, figments of my imagination or what, but any help people could give me would be more than appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Adam

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Hallo Adam,


I can only help with the first two because both have an Irish connection of sorts. Details come from the Luftwaffe Quarter Master General's Loss Returns (for both) in the Imperial War Museum which I checked in 1990 and from the Irish Military Archives (second loss only).

1/ 18 November 1940. BV 138A-1 Werk Nr. 0386, 8L + HK
Unit: 2./Ku.Fl.Gr. 906
Cause of loss: not known.
Mission area: 'bei Irland' (near Ireland).
Crew: 5, all missing.
B. Lt. zur See Karl Claus
F. Uffz. Karl Boker (with umlaut over'o')
Bf. Uffz. August Gross
Bm. Uffz. Karl Jenal
Bm. Uffz. Paul Gems.

2/ 25 November 1940. BV 138A-1 Werk Nr. 0381, 8L + CK
Unit: 2./Ku.Fl.Gr. 906
Cause of loss: engine trouble, neccessitating a force-landing in the sea off the Blasket Islands, County Kerry, Ireland. Aircraft was washed onto one of these and wrecked. Crew also helped destroy the aircraft with machine gun fire. Crew of 5 all survived, 2 with some injuries. Rescued off the island three days later. They were later sent to the Curragh Internment Camp.

Its mission was an operational sortie to the area known as Pl. Qu. 8495.

Crew: 5.
B. Oblt. zur See Konrad Neymeyr
F. Uffz. Wilhelm (Willi) Krupp
Bf. Uffz. Erwin Sack
Bm. Fw. Hans Briegel
Bs. OberGefr. Ernst Kalkowski.

Hope this helps a little,

Martin Gleeson.

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Martin,

Thanks for that. The Verbandkennzeichen both match what I already have. I thought I would have been pushing for the Stkzn as well. But the crew details are really helpful.

Thanks

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Adam,

Just been reviewing my archives and came across the following posts from the old TOCH board.

You asked about a Bv 138 lost on 2/2/43 with a possible code of K6+IL - below is the query post and answers captured from TOCH way back in 2001:--


andy bird
BV138 shot dwn Norge coast 2.2.43
Thu Feb 1 17:43:59 2001


A BV138 which was shot down on the Norwegian west coast
(south west of Bergen) 2/2-1943 at 12:58.

Does anyone have the serial no. crew names and/or the allied aircraft that shot it down?

Andy


BV 138 02.02.43
Thu Feb 1 18:50:54 2001


This BV 138C-1 belonged to 3./906 in Tromsö and was on a transfer flight when being shot down by an unidentified RAF aircraft on 2 February 1943 at Marsteinen near Bergen (Pl.Quadrat 06 Ost/51741). The aircraft had Werkenummer 0310105 and unit code K6+IL (originally that of 3./406 also at Tromsö) and Stammkennzeichen PG+KE. The following crewmembers were all killed:
Ofw. Alois Schmid (Pilot), Lt.(M) Klaus Volk (Observer), Uffz. Heinz Marks (W/O) and Uffz. Paul Bender (Air.mech.). In addition Obgefr. Fritz Otten of 1./906 was reported missing. Unofrtunately, I have no details as to the RAF aircraft. German sources claim this was a Belnheim, but this seems not very likely as late as February 1943. It should be possible to find details of the aircraft in the PRO records of the Coastal Command.

Chris Goss
Re: BV 138 02.02.43
Thu Feb 1 23:20:19 2001


Sgt Wigmoere in Beau M of 235 Sqn claimed a BV 138 at 1302 hrs at Hjelterfjord. I have all the CC claims by the way

--------------------------------------------------------

Hope that all of the above helps

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Thanks for that. Now ust have to remember to troll through the posts to find it again when i back from overseas.

Adam

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

My very good friend and colleague Martin Gleeson as usual lists the correct "Irish" connections. The pilot Willi Krupp assured me that his aircraft the 8L+CK did not carry these letters on the aircraft nor a unit badge just a simple " I " on the fuselage located below the cockpit, any ideas please.
Regards from Ireland to all.
Tony Kearns

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Hello Adam,

I found the follow informations:

18/11/40:
BV 138A-1 Werk-Nr. 386
Kennzeichen: NA+LQ; 8L+HK
1st fligth 13/07/40; 2./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 18/11/40; Atlantic off Ireland; 100% loss (T. Mohr gives date as 16/11/40).

25/11/40:
BV 138A-1 Werk-Nr. 381
Kennzeichen: KG+EE; 8L+CK
1st fligth 21/06/40; 2./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 25/11/40; into Atlantic off Ireland, Blaskett Island; 100% loss; crew interned (air attack).

15/05/41
BV 138B-1 Werk-Nr. 2009
Kennzeichen: CP+CL; 6H+KH
1./Fl.Erg.Gr.(See) Kamp; crashed 15/05/41; Copenhagen; 100% loss.

BV 138B-1 Werk-Nr. 2010
Kennzeichen: CP+CM
1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406; crashed 15/05/41; Putnitz; 100% loss (pilot error).

BV 138C-1 Werk-Nr. 310023
Kennzeichen: CB+UC; 8L+BK
2./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 15/05/41; Hornum; 100% loss (false start).

15/05/42
BV 138B-1 Werk-Nr. 2003
Kennzeichen: NA+LY; 8L+EL
3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 15/05/42; List/Sylt a/b; Norway; 100% loss (take-off accident).

05/08/42
BV 138C-1; Werk-Nr. 310043
Kennzeichen: BD+EE; K6+CL
1./Kü.Fl.Gr. 406; 3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906, to Luftzeugamt 2/XI(See) Travemünde; crashed 05/08/42; 8 km S of Varoy, transfer between Tromso & Schleswig; 100% loss (possible air attack).

09/01/43
BV 138C-1; Werk-Nr. 310150
Kennzeichen: KI+MJ
FFS(C) 17 (See); crashed 09/01/43; Putnitz a/b; 90% loss; collision with He 111E (WNr. 1310); 100% loss; SAGr. 125; overhaul at Varna; 31/10/43 (T. Mohr source).

02/02/43
BV 138C-1; Werk-Nr. 310105
Kennzeichen: PG+KE; K6+IL
3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 02/02/43; Marstein, N of Bergen; 100% loss; (attack by Blenheim a/c).

19/03/43
BV 138C-1; Werk-Nr. 311022
Kennzeichen: NA+PV
3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 19/03/43; Andenes, Norway; 30% dam.

10/08/43
BV 138C-1; Werk-Nr. 310133
Kennzeichen: DF+NM
3./Kü.Fl.Gr. 906; crashed 10/08/43; Tromso, Norway; 10% dam.
2./SAGr. 130; shot down 29/03/44; 3 km NW of Bremanger Island, Norwy by RAF Mosquitos; 100% loss; T. Mohr gives 23/09/43.

Source:
Luftwaffe Verand Issue Number 29 January 2002

Regards,

Willi

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Hi there
To the best of my knowledge and according to WASt:
Werk nummer 2009 crashed in Copenhagen on 12/5-44 with the loss of the three man crew.

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

It's correct that Wnr. 2009 6H+KH crashed while trying to make an emergency-landing on a lake in Copenhagen, on the 12. of may 1944! the 3 mann crew were all killed.
FlzF. Ofw. Wilhelm Assmann (instructor).
FlzF. Ofhr. H. Joachim Petter.( pupil).
Bw. Fw. H. Peter Wilken.

Junker

Re: Bv 138 losses
 

Hallo all,

I must disagree with some of the details provided by Willi Vrielink for the BV 138 losses of 18/11/40 and 25/11/40.

The 18/11/40 loss was not in the "Atlantic, off Ireland". The location of this loss is not given in the Luft. QM Generals Loss Returns. The mission area is only specified as "bei Irland" (or "near Ireland" if my translation is correct). AFAIK nobody knows the loss location or the reason for the loss. Both Tony Kearns and I would love to be proved wrong on this ! "Bei Irland" is the extent of its Irish connection.

For the 25/11/40 loss this aircraft was force-landed in the ocean, just off the Blasket Islands due to engine trouble. It was later washed ashore. There was no air attack or enemy action involved.

I thank Willi for providing new details (to me) concerning the Stammkennzeichen and the first flight dates for the above two aircraft.

Best wishes to all colleagues for 2006.

Martin Gleeson.