Re: Bf110C-1 loss 1940
Hallo Alex and Ove
The aircraft was a Me 110 from Sonderstaffel ZG 76 flown by Fw. Neureiter with Stabing. Thönes.
According to my notes it was probably Me 110 D-0, WNr.3154 and coded NO+DS. According to some other references it was Me 110 C-1, WNr.3920 and coded M8+NK
This aircraft could possibly have been slightly damaged during the attack on airfield Bardufoss in North-Norway. However during the return flight to their airfield Vaernes in Central-Norway the Me 110 was attacked by F/O Grant-Ede near the Swedish border at Bjørnefjell E of Narvik which is 80 km S of Bardufoss. As you said it was hit by fire from the Gladiator and then turned SE and flew into the then neutral Sweden to escape the British plane. F/O Grant-Ede was in fact later allowed by the RAF 1 Me 110 damaged over “Bjornfell” at 12:00.
The Me 110 flew over Sweden damaged further 65 km southwards before it had to force land at the frozen lake Upma. The crash site lies only 20 km from the Norwegian border in the Tysfjorden area.
South of Narvik in Sweden is only wilderness with no Swedish troops, So it is not likely that it was brought down by Swedish ground fire. Although the Swedes had some guns in the Torneträsk – Kiruna area, but this is further east of Narvik.
Most probably the reason for the crash is the attack by F/O Grant-Ede. However I have not seen any article about this incident in Jet and Prop.
Regards
Knut
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