I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

On 15 January 1943 a flight of Ju88 A-4 bombers from I/KG77 that had taken off from Catania was bounced by P-40s from the 33rd FG near Telopte (Thélepte), Tunesia, and suffered heavy losses. Among these were:

1/KG77 losses:
WNr 140462 (Oblt. Betke)
WNr 140052 3Z+AH (Fw Erhardt)
WNr 142333 3Z+MH (Uffz. Thiedke)
WNr 140419 3Z+HN (Ofw. Winkler)
WNr 141097 3Z+CH (Uffz. Wagner)

2/KG77 losses:
WNr 141035 3Z+KK (Uffz. Jäckel)

3/KG77 losses:
WNr 140453 3Z+JL (Uffz. Witter)

Only Ofw. Kirsch of 3/KG77 returned in 3Z+FL, which suffered damage and wounded crew.

I've been trying to find photos of these aircraft, but without any luck. Does anyone have photos of any of these aircraft, please?

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Good afternoon,

some small additions/corrections:

> WNr 140462 (Oblt. Betke)
aircraft code was: 3Z+FL

> WNr 140419 3Z+HN (Ofw. Winkler)
aircraft code was: 3Z+NH (not ..+HN)
Plane and crew belonged to 1./KG 77.

> WNr 141035 3Z+KK (Uffz. Jäckel)
aircraft code was: 3Z+EK (not ..+KK)
Name of pilot was: Uffz. Kurt Jecke (not ... Jäckel)

> WNr 140453 3Z+JL (Uffz. Witter)
aircraft code: 3Z+IL (in NVM: "India Lima" ... not "Juliett Lima")

> Only Ofw. Kirsch of 3/KG77 returned in 3Z+FL, which suffered damage and wounded crew.
aircraft '3Z+FL' was flown this day by Oblt. Betke crew (140462), see first entry.

The injury of Ofw. Kirsch is - as far as i know - only documented in the secondary source book: Shores, Ring & Hess: Fighters Over Tunisia, s.154.
Since there is not entry in the NVM for Ofw. Kirsch, his injury must have been very lightly.

My source for all losses: NVM I.KG 77.

Regards, Uwe K.

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

3Z+AH
http://www.ww2color.com/search/webap...mary_key=00765
http://www.ww2color.com/search/webap...mary_key=00755
http://www.ww2color.com/search/webap...mary_key=02446

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Sorry, i forgot this typo in my last post:


> WNr 140052 3Z+AH (Fw Erhardt)
correct name of pilot: Fw. Andreas Berhardt +
(* 1.2.1916, Wittlach/Bez. Trier)
last rest: Bordj-Cedria (TUN), NAS-9-1


Regards, Uwe K.

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Fantastic info and pictures, many thanks gentlemen!

What are your thoughts on the camouflage carried by 3Z+AH? I had expected there to be sand coloured patches on top. It's all green though, but it does seem to have patches of sorts?

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Nothing fantastic here. To me it looks might be wrong plane. By May 1942 (when A-4 140052 was assembled) rudder had changed in October 1942 from early (A-5/A-4 early 1941) to the inset-aerodynamic tab on top.
However, undersides seem have Wave Mirror pattern (and Grau, not Light Blue under) but Yellow under motor cowlings torn off.

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Ed, I did note the early-style rudder and thought it was curious if this is supposed to be an A-4. Do you know of any book or website that has a clear listing of Ju 88 WerkeNr and how they relate to production models?


As for 3Z+AH, another machine with these markings went missing near Sicily on 16 Feb 1943 but this was also an A-4 and later-production too (WNr 141101). Since the photos show American soldiers (not in-theatre until the end of '42) and the scenery matches Thelepté I think this is indeed one of the Ju 88s of the 15 January battle, but perhaps the recorded WNr is incorrect? Or perhaps it's an early-production model, still having the old-style rudder? Just throwing some ideas out there :)

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

I can throw out ideas too, but as I know no one will (or can) answer I do not.

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Hehehe fair enough :)

Re: I./KG 77 Ju 88 losses Tunesia 15 January 1943
 

Hi all,

som einfo about this action is on this topic:
http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=20283

Faenor