Hello Paul,
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Originally Posted by Paul Thompson
Could the Soviet crew been confused by the presence of LaGG-3s or MBR-2s in the area? I have seen an 'escort' of some kind, involving a pair of each aircraft type, being described as involved in this mission. If they were flying beyond the range of easy visual idenitification and were not in radio contact, the crew could have possibly considered them hostile.
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"Molotov" and "Kharkov" were without air cover during the night attacks. The air cover (fighters and 4 MBR-2) had appeared at daybreak only.
During the night 5 DB-3? 7 SB and 16 MBR-2 bombed the port facilities in Feodosia, but I can't find any evidence of their contacts with "Molotov" and "Kharkov".
German torpedo planes had shadowed the cruiser. It is info from Kriegsmarine documents. Soviet navy reports and AA Defence reports (probably from shore radar station) also contains info about continuous contacts with German recce planes.
But Kriegsmarine documents in contradistinction from Soviet reports hasn't any info about aerial torpedo attacks, only about Italian MAS-boats attacks.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Paul Thompson
I am sure logbooks would help clarify the issue, but I have never heard of any surviving logbooks for 6./KG 26.
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Maybe British Y-intercepts and ULTRA contains some useful info?
3.Aug.42 He111H-6 WNr 4816 1T+JH (4./KG26) was downed by AA fire from cruiser "150 km suedl.Feodosia" according to Steenbeck's book (probably not S but SE Feodosia). All crew MIA incl. FF Lt Hans-Georg Bachem. I wonder if the exact time and location of the loss in known? Maybe in NVM report?.
Warm regards,
Andrey