Operation HARPOON
 

Hi guys,

I'm looking for the losses of German and Italian planes sustained during Operation HARPOON. I do have some information (included below) but any additions or corrections are greatly welcomed! Especially I'm interested in the circumstances of the losses of Ju.88.

I've based my list on:
Malta The Spitfire Year
Spitfires Over Malta
La Partecipazione Tedesca alla Guerra Aeronavale nel Mediterraneo

Are there any other good sources where I can find additional information?


Thank you in advance for your help! :)
Andrzej


14 VI 42
SM.79
- Tenente Alberto Leonardi
- Tenente Mario Ingrellini
- Tenente Giovanni Vivarelli
- Tenente Giovanni Giacomello
- Sottotenente Giannino Negri
- Sottotenente Moretti

S.84
- Tenente Colonnello Giovanni Farina
- Maggiore Mario Turba
- Tenente Oreste Bedosti
- Tenente Angelo Abate
- Tenente Angelo Zanelli
- Capitano Paolo Simeoni

CR.42
- Capitano Alberto Bondi
- Sottotenente Bruno Castro
- Sergente Maggiore Lorenzo Ramacciotti
- Sergente Maggiore Aldo Mazzolani

MC.200
- Sergente Maggiore Raimondo Giardini
- Maresciallo Giovanni Treggia

Ju.87R
- Sottotenente Antonio Vecchione

Ju.88
- F6+EH, 1(F)/122
- 7T+IL, Kü.Fl.Gr. 606
- 7T+HL, Kü.Fl.Gr. 606


15 VI 42
SM.79
- Sottotenente Martino Aichner

S.84
- Maresciallo Aldo Pinna
- Maggiore Gastone Valentini

Ju.87R
- Maresciallo Antonio Marchetti
- Sergente Maggiore Gastone Converso

Ju.88
- B3+TL, I/KG 54
- M7+HL, Kü.Fl.Gr. 606
- M7+FK, Kü.Fl.Gr. 606

Re: Operation HARPOON
 

Ju 88D-1, 1089, Vogel, Ltn. Hugo (B)/Schwarz, Uffz. Emil (F), , , 1.(F), 122, weiße E, F6+EH, , , 14-Jun-42, Both MIA with crew during Operation 'Harpoon', due to Luftkampf with Sea Hurricanes of 813F Sq. (Lt. King-Joyce and Sub. Lt. Crosley). 3 crew picked as POWs, 2 later DOW., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.9; Shores, Malta:The Spitfire Year, p.327, , Ort unbekannt, 100%, F, Bf Uffz. Hans Dombrowsky & Bs Uffz. Helmut Aufermann, ,
Ju 88A-4, 3585, Penske, Ltn. Artur, , , 3., KüFlGr. 606, gelbe H, 7T+HL, , , 14-Jun-42, KIA due to Luftkampf with Sea Hurricanes from HMS Argus (Lt.Cdr. Brabner & Sub. Lt. Hutton) during attack on convoy 'Harpoon'. Bf also KIA, B & Bs MIA., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.9; Shores, Malta:The Spitfire Year, p.333, , Ort unbekannt, 100%, F, B Uffz. Hermann Weller, Bf Gefr. Karl Lember & Bs Gefr. Richard Grogg, ,
Ju 88A-4, 140161, Koopmann, Ltn. Gerhard, , , 3., KüFlGr. 606, gelbe I, 7T+IL, , , 14-Jun-42, MIA with crew due to Luftkampf with Sea Hurricanes (Lt.Cdr. Brabner & Sub. Lt. Hutton) from HMS Argus during attack on convoy 'Harpoon'., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.9; Shores, Malta:The Spitfire Year, p.333, , Ort unbekannt, 100%, F, B Gefr. Karl-Heinz Boy, Bf Uffz. Walter Remmert & Bs Gefr. Werner Höppert, ,
Ju 88A-4/trop, 140216, Müller, Ltn. Wilfried, , I., 2., KG 54, gelbe T, B3+TL, , , 14-Jun-42, KIA due to Flak from the HMS Troilus during Operation 'Harpoon' in the Derna area. Rest of crew POW., Maybe 15-Jun. No other casualties listed in Radtke!, Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.9; Radtke, KG 54, p.298, 354; Shores, Malta:The Spitfire Year, p.338, , bei Pantelleria, 100%, F, B Ogefr. Kurtz, Bf Ogefr. Sprengmeier & Bs Gefr. Scheer, ,
Ju 88A-4, 8550, Kehrer, Oblt. Kurt, , I., 2., KGr. 806, , M7+FK, , , 15-Jun-42, Stkp. MIA due to Luftkampf with Spitfires from 249 Sq. B & Bf also MIA, Bs KIA., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.9; Shores, Malta:The Spitfire Year, p.346, , (Malta), 100%, F, B Fw. Georg Windhagen, Bf Fw. Erwin Thom & Bs Uffz. Georg Fröhlich, ,
Ju 88A-4, 5669, Kaufmann, Uffz. Heinz, , I., 3., KGr. 806, gelbe H, M7+HL, DJ+OQ, , 15-Jun-42, MIA with crew due to Luftkampf with Spitfires from 249 Sq., , Ob.Bhf.Süd/Mittelmeer, Gen.Qu.6.Abt. (mfm #6)-Vol.9; Shores, Malta:The Spitfire Year, p.346, , (Malta), 100%, F, B Gefr. Josef Wanser, Bf Uffz. Johann Dvorak & Bs Gefr. Walter Jany, , Heinkel Flzg.Werke Oranienburg in Sep-41.

Re: Operation HARPOON
 

Thank you Jim!
So it seems that I have not omitted a single German plane :)

Perhaps you have any data on Italian losses?

Thank you once again :)

Re: Operation HARPOON
 

Nothing recorded for the Italians.

Re: Operation HARPOON
 

Hi Andrzej,

14.06.1942
2 SM-79s of 36° Stormo (256 Sq. and 259 Sq. took off at 8:00 with 8 CR42s carrying bombs.
Losses:
SM-79 259 Sq. (36° Stormo) Ten Leonardi Alberto, Serg. M. pilota Spina Riccardo, St. di V. Fiorini Guglielmo, Serg. M. marc. Cordano Oreste, 1° Av. mot. Magno Amerigo, 1° Av. arm. Zucco Martino - shot down by enemy fighters @ about 9:00.


15 SM-84s of 36° Stormo (2 of 256 Sq. - 4 of 257 Sq. - 4 of 258 Sq. and 5 of 259 Sq) took off at 9:00 escorted by 19 Cr.42s and 20 Mc.200s.
At 10:05 they attacked the convoy but were in turn engaged by enemy fighters.
Losses:
SM-84 Ten. Col. Farina Giovanni (commander of the 36° Stormo), Mag. Turba Mario (commander of the del 109° Gruppo), Av. sc. marc. Magris Lonardo, Av. sc. mot. Pirrello Michele, 1° Av. arm. De Santa Cavaldo, Av. sc. fot. Bontempi Giulio;
SM-84 Cap. Simeoni Paolo (commander of the 259 Sq.), Serg. M. pilota Musa Adelmo, Av. sc. marc. Gambini Raffaele, 1° Av. mot. Salemmi Albino, Serg. arm. Drobertisi Antonio, 1° Av. fot. Fioriti Vincenzo;
SM-84 Ten. Bedosti Oreste, Serg. pilota Spazzoli Gildo, Av. sc. marc. Cappelli Lorenzo, Av. sc. arm. Paulatti Angelo, Av. sc. fot. Negri Emilio;
SM-84 Ten. Abate Angelo, Maresc. Bolzetta Angelo, Av. sc. mot. Rossetta Luigi, Av. sc. marc. Urbano Michele, Av. sc. arm. Coruzzo Francesco, Av. sc. fot. Capello Fiorenzo;
SM-84 Ten. Zanelli Angelo, Serg. M. pilota Masoni Curzio, Av. sc. mot. Zuliani Vinicio, Av. sc. arm. Antonucci Angelo, Av. sc. fot. Bertinetti Luciano;
SM-84 St. Donati Oliviero, Maresc. pilota Monaco Guido, 1° Av. arm. Bertani Andrea, Av. sc. mot. Valentini Giovanni, Av. sc. marc. Giordano Emanuele, Av. sc. fot. Tiralongo Sebastiano.
The last SM-84 ditched and the crew was rescue.


10 SM-79s of 104° Gruppo - 46° Stormo (5 of 252 Sq. - 5 of 253 Sq.) took off at 9:00 from Decimomannu.
Near the convoy they were attacked by enemy fighters.
Losses:
SM-79 Ten. Vivarelli Colonna Giovanni, Serg. M. Gaggini Alessandro, 1° Av. arm. Sotgiu Francesco, Av. sc. mot. Ghelli Pasquino, Av. sc. marc. Fionda Piero;
SM-79 Ten. Ingrellini Mario, Serg. M. Compiani Giorgio, 1° Av. arm. Valentini Ivo, Av. sc. mot. Pirro Francesco, Av. sc. marc. Bazzichi Giuseppe.
The SM-79 (253 Sq.) of Ten. Marescalchi, Serg. M. pilota Guerrini Eugenio, Av. sc. mot. Grigolon Ottavio, 1° Av. marc. Vernier, Av. sc. arm. Ferretti was hit by AA and fighters and crash landed in a field at 4 Km. from Capo Teulada.


2 SM-79s of 104° Gruppo - 46° Stormo (1 of 252 Sq. - 1 of 253 Sq.) took off at 16:00 from Decimomannu.
Losses:
SM-79 Ten Giacomello Giovanni, Maresc. pilota Gada Costantino, 1° Av. arm. Sala Ruggero, 1° Av. mot. Dandi Orfeo, Av. sc. marc. Pettinau Efisio.


14 SM-79s of 132° Gruppo (7 of 278 Sq. - 7 of 281 Sq.) took off at 17:45 from Castelvetrano escorted by 17 Re-2001s and 7 Mc-200s of the 51° Stormo.
At 19:10, 15 miles N.W. of Capo Blanc they were attacked by enemy fighters.
Losses:
SM-79 St. Negri Giannino, Serg. M. pilota Mutolo Salvatore, Av. all. mot. Semproni Sergio, Serg. marc. Balzano Alessandro.
The SM-79 of St. Moretti, De Luca, Serg. M. Buda, 1° Av. Gulla, 1° Av. arm. Paoloni Romano was damaged by fighters and crashed at base.

15.06.1942

2 SM-79s of 132° Gruppo took off at 12:25 from Castelvetrano.
The SM-79 of Aichner, Del Bianco, Fantuzzi, Picerno, De Sanctis, Pragliola was shot down by HMS Bedouin.

10 JU-87s of 102° Gruppo Tuffatori took off at 10:50 from Gela escorted by 25 Mc.202s of 155° Gruppo Caccia. They attacked the convoy between the 12:00 and the 12:15.
Losses:
The JU-87 of Maresciallo Marchetti Antonio and Av. sc. mont. Grosso Luigi was shot down by Spitfire and ditched 50 Km. S.E. of Pantelleria.

Source:
Carlo Unia, Storia degli Aerosiluranti Italiani
Giuseppe Pesce, Il Walzer del 102° Gruppo

Hope this helps.
Best regards.

Marco

Re: Operation HARPOON
 

Yes, it does a lot Marco!! Thank you :)

One more thing - do you know the MM number for the lost planes and their respective Squadriglias??

Do you know a good descriptive source which deal with the attacks from 14 VI (especially the one made by 17 SM.79 and 15 SM.84)?

Thank you once again for your help :)


All the best,
Andrzej

Re: Operation HARPOON
 

Hi Andrzej,

sorry, I don't have those data.

My only source regarding the 14 VI attacks of the SM.79s and SM.84s is the book "Storia degli Aerosiluranti Italiani" by Carlo Unia, ed Bizzarri - Roma 1974, but only some of those attacks are described in detail.

Best regards

Marco