Quote:
Originally Posted by Andrey Kuznetsov
It is an educated guess. Both sides saw the burst at 02:30-02:33 msk, when "Molotov" shot down a plane, which fell in flames and had burned 3-5 minutes.
"Molotov" was torpedoed a hour before MAS568 attack.
So it maybe:
1) MAS573 attack -but time of the attack (00:12=01:12 msk) doesn't match well to the time of Molotov's damage (00:26=01:26 msk)
2) Torpedo plane attack whose success remained unknown for Fliegerführer Süd (and maybe for the crew himself). But it is strange. I doubt that it was lost 1T+JH because it was obviously downed a hour after the torpedo hit., so he had enough time to report about the success and also unclear why he remained in the area so long after the attack.
3) Pure speculative version - it was a drifting mine. "Molotov" was damaged during the turning circle so it was possible to struck a mine by the stern part of the shipboard.
"Tagesabschlussmeldung Fl.Führ.Süd für 3.8.42" maybe useful for the analysis but...
I had tried to order Luftwaffe documents in USAFHRA/AFHRA 2-3 times during past 10-15 years but never once received the answer (in contrast with NARA).
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I entirely agree with your suggestion that the blast was associated with the loss of the plane, since there appears to be no other plausible explanation.
Of your suggestions as to who might have hit the
Molotov, I think there is a good case that it was MAS 573. The time difference is relatively small and could be accounted for by poor record keeping. It is indeed implausible that the Heinkel flew around for an hour after making an attack. I had not quite understood this time difference, between the torpedo hit and the shoot down, before. I would discount a drifting mine, I believe there were no such incidents with warships in this part of the Black Sea during the entire war. Furthermore, it is unlikely that a mine could have been carried into the area by currents.
I am sorry to hear that you have had trouble with AFHRA, perhaps another forum member can help get through to them?
Warm regards,
Paul