[Chris Goss]

From my forthcoming book:


The months March to July 1941 would see a dramatic rise in Condor losses from both operational and non-operational causes. March 1941 would see two Condors being destroyed in accidents with the deaths of six crew including three pilots. It is also saw the first combat between mainland UK-based Fighter Command squadron and a Condor when two Hawker Hurricanes of 3 Sqn damaged a Condor off Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands on 2 March 1941 as the combat report of Plt Off Doug Robertson shows:

"...when flying over sea 30 miles east of Sumburgh, I sighted one Fw 200 flying only a few feet over the sea and at the same time heard Red 1 [Plt Off John Crabb] give the Tally Ho. I followed Red 1 into the attack flying astern and slightly above him. Immediately Red 1 broke from his first attack, I fired a three second burst from dead astern and observer tracer entering the fuselage of e/a. I broke away as Red 1 was delivering his starboard attack. I climbed to the right and delivered a diving beam attack from 200 feet above firing a one second burst. I had to break this attack as Red 1 was firing from the opposite beam. I then delivered another astern attack firing a six second burst from approximately 200 yds range again tracer seen to enter e/a. During all these attacks, I experienced no return fire..."

Although Doug Robertson reported no return fire, John Crabb did, stating it was heavy at first then abruptly stopped. The Fw 200 C-3 in question force-landed at Varhaug south of Stavanger; the only casualty was meteorologist Karl Schwalb who was injured.