Another try

[Nikita Egorov]

Gentlemen,

My last shot on Arnold Zeppelin was beside the mark. Here is another question on captured German crewmembers. Interested in unit, which the plane and the crew belonged to and names of two or three others, listed as missing on board of this He-111:

19.01.1944
FF Gefr. Arno Helfer (born 1923, Merseburg)
BO Uffz. Otto Kittel (born 1920)

Captured after their plane, He-111H-16 (w.n. 162407, 6N+IK) landed on enemy territory south of Skadovsk. Flight task was to transfer this He-111 from Lvov to Nikolayev. I presume that plane and crew belonged to I/KG100, but not sure as it was plane transfer flight. Can anybody confirm?

TIA

[Brian Bines]

The KG100 book by Ulf Balke has Ff Ogef Arno Helfer, B Uffz Otto Kittel, Bf Ogef Josef May, Bm Fw Alois Rasche all missing 19-1-44 with Einsatzziel Kertsch but has their unit as 2/KG4 ( aircaft loss details are the same that you have). Looking in the KG4 book the same names are shown as missing on 18?-1-41 under the missing list of I/KG4. The KG4 book goes onto say (page 262) on the 19.1. was the crew of Uffz Kittel missing. The last report of the crew was attacked by a single engine nightfighter of the type Airacobra.
From this I assume they were on a night attack on 18/19 Jan. If anyone else can check the Gundelach book page 262 to check my rough translation it would be appreciated,

Regards

Brian Bines


KG4 book just lists the crew of Lt. Arnold von Zeppelin in the missing list (pages 268 and 362 but name spelt Zepelin)

[Nikita Egorov]

Brian,

Thanks a lot for info! This plane was captured without any combat damage, so, I think the version of Helfer, that bellylanding was caused by navigation error, is more trustworthy.

Best regards,
Nikita