Ju188?

Would it be correct to say that this is a Ju188 torpedo bomber with Hohentweil radar?

[Peter D Evans]

Yep... I would agree, although I'm unsure as to which series. You can see the light coloured torpedo racks either side of the cockpit under the wings and the radar is indeed FuG200 Hohenwiel radar. Units operating this type included KG26 and Aufkl.Gr 124, but unless you have a location for the image, I cannot tell for which unit it was serving.

A nice image nonetheless!

Peter D Evans
LEMB moderator

[hedgehog6]

Note also on the right side of the fuselage there is a bulged fairing containing the control runs for the torpedo gear and the air scoop on the port engine means that this is one of the Jumo 213 engined variants.

With such a glazed nose and all that sun, how was the radar operator expected to see the faint green blips on his CRT? Did he have his own compartment or curtain? Did Ju188s ever actually launch any torpedo attacks?

[Peter D Evans]

Did Ju188s ever actually launch any torpedo attacks?

...as I mention in my previous post, KG26 were one of the units equipped with the torpedo equipped Ju188. A good book to get on the subject is "Luftwaffe Aerial Torpedo Aircraft and Operations in WW2" by Harold Thiele (Hikoki Publications 2004). This mentions that III./KG26 based at Leck re-equipped with Ju188's late in August 1944 and at the end of October they moved to Trondheim-Vaernes in Norway. Although records, reports and accounts of airborne torpedo missions were to become increasingly imprecise, some missions with torpedo-equipped Ju188's with KG26 did take place. On the 21st April 1945 ten Ju88 crews from II.Gruppe and 8 Ju188 crews from III.Gruppe took part in an armed reconnaissance mission to the Scottish coast. Over the North Sea they were intercepted by more than 40 RAF Mosquitos which were on a return flight from a mission over the area of the Kattegat and Skagerrak. This resulted in the loss of 5 Ju88's and 4 Ju188's....

cheers

Peter D Evans
LEMB - moderator

Did the Germans stay in formation? Were any Mossies downed or even hit by their return fire, or was it desultory?