Do18 lost 6 September 1939

[Brian]

Hi guys

Seeking identities of crew of Do18 of 2/606 lost on 6 September 1939.

Cheers
Brian

[Peter Cornwell]

No such loss AFAIK. They did lose one next day but, despite what Chris Shores says, this was NOT the aircraft that had attacked a U-boat in error so no 'friendy fire' involvement.

[Brian]

Thanks Peter

Whilst Googling I've found the following:

6/9/39 He59 Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d Marine 100% loss when shot down by flak, four crew MiA

8/9/39 Do18 2./606 100% loss when overturned during night landing.

Seems as though someone has confused the two incidents?

Any ideas?
Cheers
Brian

[crolick]

Hello Brian and Peter,

I have only:
7 IX 1939 Do.18D-3 (8L+WK - W.Nr. 833) from 2.(M)/Kü.Fl.Gr. 606
Lost when overturned during a night landing in Hörnum
1 KIA, 1 MIA, 2 WIA

No loss on 8 IX


Andrzej

[Peter Cornwell]

Brian,

Quite possibly. Googling can take you to some very strange places. I agree with Crolick.

[Seaplanes]

There were no loss of a He 59 on 6.9.39, one was lost 04.09.39.

Likewise, there were no Do 18 loss on 06.09.39. The only Do 18 loss between 03.09.39 and 12.09.39 did happen on 07.06.39. The loss was reported in the KTB of Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M. on 08.09.39, the day after it took place. It involved Do 18D-3 W.Nr. 833 8L+WK of 2./606. The aircraft turned over and sank during landing at night in Kamp returning from a recce sortie. The crew were:
Uffz. Ernst Hinrichs (F) severly injured and later died.
Oblt.z.See Rabach (B) killed
Uffz. Evers (Bw) killed
Obgefr. Rusch (Bf) lightly injured

Perhaps someone has the full names for this crew.

[crolick]

As for He.59 lost on 4/6 IX 39 take a look at - http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?p=37626#post37626 (and following posts)
I would tend to say that it was rather 6 IX then 4 IX (based on Polish sources).


Andrzej

[Seaplanes]

Dear Crolick,

There may be something in what you claim. However, two different sources (KTB Gen.d.Le.b.Ob.d.M.) state that the loss of this He 59 was on 04.09.39. In the KTB for the Oberquartiermeister of the same Stab, it is an antry for 06.09.39 at 10.45 hours:
Anruf von Pillau: Von Pillau aus haben Mehzweckestaffeln 3 Angriffe auf Gdingen gemacht. 10 Treffer. 1 He 59 verloren.
It would be nice to clear this loss once and for all. Anyone with access to the Namentliche Verlustmeldung could probably help.

[crolick]

Summarizing the facts:
1) GQM lists He.59 as downed on 6 IX by Flak near Gdynia
2) Gen.d.Lw.b.Ob.d.M lists He.59 as downed on 4 IX by Flak near Hel
3) Volksbund.de lists Lt.z.S. Munscher and Uffz. Fuchs as killed on 6 IX near Hel

As for the Polish sources (though those ones are only based on memories of the Polish soldiers so not the original data):
1) kpt. Wojcieszek (CO of AA defence on Hel) claims that his batteries downed three enemy planes on 4 IX/04.30 (the same plane as in 2) ), 6 IX/21.00 and 7 IX/04.20
2) kpt Przybyszewski (CO of Polish coastal battery placed in Hel) claims that one plane was downed on 5 IX and that some parts were taken out of the water
3) kpt. Dziubinski (CO of one of the AA batteries on Hel) claims that he have downed one enemy plane on 6 IX/21.00 and that the glove and parts of the wing were recollected from the see

[Seaplanes]

The Volksbund is normally very reliable, so I agree that the correct loss date should be 06.09.39 rather than 04.09.39. Copy of an NVM report would have been nice though.