[Peter Cornwell]

Hello Stig,

The full crew of the Do18D (731) M7+YK of 2./506 shot down 145 miles east of Rattray Head (57' 36" N, 2' 38" E) by three No. 803 (FAA) Squadron Skuas from Ark Royal on September 26, 1939, was as follows:

Ff: Lt z S Wilhelm von Reitzenstein
Beo: Lt z S Ernst Körner
Bf: Uffz Walter Heckt
Bm: Uffz fritz Schmalfeldt

The German unit is confirmed by GQM Returns and also RAF Intelligence. I am afraid that Fledgling Eagles qives the wrong codes and also includes a photo of this aircraft on p84 wrongly attributed to another machine.

However, from this photograph and the RAF Intelligence Report, it is clear that M7 was the code for KuFlGr.506 at that time prior to its redesignation as KuFlGr.806 as described by Seaplanes. I suspect that it was the newly constituted KuFlGr.506 that carried S4 as its unit code.

I cannot answer for the 'Do18 K6+RK of 2./506' damaged by a No. 224 Squadron Hudson on September 29, 1939, as described by Shores. The only Do18 casualty I can find that day was a Do18 (668) of 2./106 that was 20% damaged when it hit a sandbank in a night-landing accident at Nordeney. However, I note that Jim Perry has it listed as shown and quoting Shores as a source.