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Re: Losses of german nightfighters - night 19/20 February 1943
Hello all,
The NVM says about the Do217 crew that they all have killed at 18th February 1943 and got a decent grave on a Ehrenfriedhof, which indicates that all bodies were found, identified and buried. Georgsheil, W of Aurich is over land which complies with the 3 dead crew members found.
The NVM of the Bf110 however says something different: the loss occurred on 19th February 1943 and both crew members were declared dead in March 1943 which is a strong indication that they were missing and with a great degree of certaintly dead.
Further: the Wellington started its mission and returned from it on the evening of 19th February 1943. Thus, the encounter with a Bf110 over sea all happened on the 19th February. The fact that the Bf110 crashed in flames over sea matches with the missing Hagn/Prinzel crew as well.
I will look into the Interception and Tactics Reports (RAF) whether these give away other details, but I am pretty confident that the loss of the Bf110 occurred on the evening of 19th February, therefore more or less the night of 19/20th February, not the night before.
All the best, Marcel
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airfield Venlo in WW-2, I./NJG 1, He219-project
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