Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

Bit of an odd one - Sterbebild for bomber crew bordfunker Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter claims he was killed on 29.05.1942 on a mission against England - but is not listed for that date in either Luftwaffe Crash Archive Vol. 9 or ATB Blitz Then & Now Vol.3, and his name does not come up online??

Re: Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

Hello Bombphoon,

GQM loss return 31 May 1942 item 77:
29.5.42 K.Fl.Gr. 106 crash at Gironde estuary, engine failure, loss category 22 (= destroyed without enemy action on a non-operational flight) Ju 88 A-4 WNr. 3599 100%.
Bf Uffz Brandstetter †, rest of crew unhurt.

Regards
Leo

Re: Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

Thank you Leo, appreciated.

Do you think he was starting that flight on a mission (the Sterbebild mentions 'in the war against England'?)

Re: Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

Hello Bombphoon,

the entries in the German loss returns distinguish between F (= Feindflug/operational flight) and H (= Heimatverlust/non operational flight). The flight of this Ju 88 is listed as H. The loss category 22 is in line with the entry H.

Regards
Leo

Re: Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

Hello Bombphoon,

in May 1942 the airfield at Dinard-Pleurtuit in Brittany was the base of the Küstenfliegergruppe 106. The loss location at the Gironde estuary near Bordeaux in the south west of France argues against a mission on England.

Regards
Leo

Re: Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

The probable reason of the Sterbebild mention was that it was written by the family, not by an official source. As this man died while serving in France, he was serving "against England" for them.

Re: Information concerning loss of Unteroffizier Hans Brandstetter - killed 29.05.1942??
 

Thank you Leo and Laurent - that makes sense, I understand.