4.(F)/122 claim on 18 March 1942

[Fairlop]

Hi,

A crew of the 4.(F)/Aufklärungsgruppe 122 claimed one Spitfire s/d at 50m near by Neufchâtel, Pas de Calais, France on 18 March 1942. Does anyone have info :
1) what crew/airmen were in successful Ju 88D ?
2) if the German a/c suffered some damage in the encounter ?


Any comments much appreciated.
Michal

[Andy Mitchell]

This is interesting as Holm ( http://www.ww2.dk/air/recon/aufkl122.htm) places 4.(F)/122 at the following bases in early 1942:-

Winnitsa, 8.41 - 1.42
Nikolayev, 1.42 - 4.42
Saki, 4.42 - 7.42

Additionally, I have notes of the following related to 4.(F)/122

March 1942 – In preparation for the coming assault on Sevastapol 4(F)./122 was ordered to perform photo-reconnaissance of the following types of target – fortifications, mobilization points, supply depots, and routes in the Crimea; embarkation and supply points along the Caucasus coastline. Together with airfields and transportation routes in the northern Caucasus.

15 Mar 1942 – 4(F)./122 was ordered to increase photo reconnaissance coverage of eastern Crimea and North Caucasia in preparation for a forthcoming German offensive to retake the Kerch Peninsula (Operation “Trappenjagd”), which commenced on 8 May.

25 Mar 1942 – Ju 88s of 4(F)./122 photographed ports in the Crimea and the Kerch Straits (Sevastapol, Kerch, Kamysh-Burun and Tamanskaya) and the Caucasus coast (Novorosiisk and Tuapse) as well as airfields and train stations in the NW Caucasus (Krymskaya, Krasnodar and Kropotkin).

Sources for the above notes "Hayward-Stopped at Stalingrad"

This then leads to a couple of additional questions:-

1. Is this a 4.(F)/122 crew or was it from another 122 staffel - e.g.3
2. Was this actually an aircraft/crew from another unit?
   

[Fairlop]

Hi Andy,

thanks for the entry. I have noted the problem with 4th Staffel and its location too, and waited if somebody will be discrepancing it.
If the Aufklärungsgruppe 122 was liable to claim, only 3rd Staffel was based on the Channel front. Alternatively there were another Aufklärungsgruppe units there - Stab & 1.(F)/123 in Toussus-le-Buca and 3.(F)/123 in Lannion...

Michal