Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Dear all,

I had the pleasure to recover last Saturday the wreckage of Ju 88 G-1 piloted by Gruppenkommandeur Wilhelm HERGET (I./NJG 4 based at Florennes).
The aircraft crashed in Pont-à-Celles (North of Charleroi), hamlet "Launoy" on the 15th June 1944.
As witnessed by F/Lt. Burbridge (85 Sqn) who claimed it, the Ju 188 (sic.) crashed with a tremendous explosion. Indeed both BMW 801 were found - albeit badly destroyed - at more than 5 meters deep. Very few parts of wings and fuselage were found as like cockpit items or ammo (recovered by Bergungskommando). However we found a MG FF mounted in "Schrage Musik" device so the ID of the aircraft was 100% archieved and the mission fully accomplished (the NVM quotes vaguely RAUM Charleroi)!
The Ju 88 took off from Florennes and I hope to display the artefacts in Florennes airbase museum soon, so "la boucle est bouclée". They will be displayed along with BMW 801 of FW 190 A-7 piloted by Oblt. Otto Hummel.

From the national TV:
http://www.rtbf.be/video/detail_jt-13h?id=1848243#

http://charleroi.blogs.sudinfo.be/ar...ttu-77422.html

BEnjoy

ClinA-78

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Congratulations, Nicolas,

well done, in a professional manner, with all relevant sectors involved (archeology, culture etc..)

just one reproach: we would like to see more pictures of what you found. can you post some ?

Thanks cheers et bravo.

Gilles

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Hi Nicolas ,

Great work.

Alain57

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Hi Gilles,

Here, one of the twin (not Jumo ah ah :D)

ClinA-78

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Ju 88 G-1 W.Nr. 710833 (info from Matti Salonen NVM) - If any airframe part numbers plate are recovered (Not likely as these were not supposed be in airframes produced after March 1943, and this was finished about middle of April 1944) these and main W.Nr. plate can confirm aircraft in question. There is also possibility of painted W.Nr. on removable items. Good work anyways, locating an G-1 and digging up is rare and praisworthy. -ed

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Starts at 0:26:07

Cheers, Franck.

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Not much of airframes parts were found, only from covers of engine nacelle. I have checked those items in vain.

However the CR of Burbridge is surprisingly precise :

-the combat took place North of Charleroi (aircraft was followed from Florennes)
-the crash location is given 5 miles SSW of Nivelles, on the East bank of a river (illuminated by the explosion). This perfectly matches for the Brussels-Charleroi canal situated 500 m of crashsite.

Here is another pic showing:
- Oxygen mask
- hydraulic vane (?)
and this odd thick blue glass found at the bottom of the hole, not part of the bullet-proof windshield and perhaps a glass waste?

More to follow.

ClinA-78

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Nicolas,

you could have a certain distance between the engines (heavy, with a lot of inertia) and the airframe (lighter).

Based on the positioning on the ground of the parts you found, were you able to reconstruct or visualize the trajectory of the aircraft? this could help you finding the balance of the aircraft;

And did you try to find the family of the JU88 crew ?

bravo again.

Gilles

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

Gilles,

The distance between engines matches roughly the enginespan of the Ju 88. Between them we found little parts only, no fuselage.
Moreover, nothing was found of the main gear, annular radiators and oil tanks as such as the engines were simply torn off their mounting. No propellor blades also. The crash seems vertical. And judging a speed deceleration from said 500 to 0 km/h in just 5 meters, we have a violent kinetic isn't it?

Herget, Liebheer and Gröss relatives were not found at the moment (Herget killed himself in the '70s).

ClinA-78

Re: Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!
 

"annular radiators" were not fitted to Ju 88 G-1, this had BMW 801 radial engines, air-cooled. So of course not ;-)