Lost during operation Steinbock

[schalabeer]

Hello to all!

I'm searching for informations about Feldwebel Wilhelm Schmidt from the E/KG66, who is MIA on the 27.03.1944 on a bomb-raid on Bristol. He flew a Ju 88 S1 with the serial 301509 and the markings Z6 + FN.
I'm interested in informations about the raid and the destiny of the crew.
He was the cousin of my grandfather.

Kind regards

Schalabeer

[G.R.Morrison]

Ju 88S-1 WNr.301509 of E-St./KG 66, coded Z6+FN, Flugzeugführer Fw. Wilhelm Schmidt, Beobachter Uffz. Heinz Kunczak & Bordfunker Uffz. Franz Kraus, MIA 27.March 1944 with crew, cause unknown, location unknown.

Sorry I cannot provide more, GRM

[Melvin Brownless]

Hello Schalabeer,

I have in our records the WASt NVM + letters from Staffelkapitan to the family Schmidt, I also have a poor quality photo of the crew but I do not know who is who? Can you send me a PM with your e-mail address, I would be happy to send you what I have.

Kind regards

Melvin

www.aircrewremembrancesociety.com

[schalabeer]

The cause of his lost is unknown?
I'm searching for informations about his time on the eastern front. I want to know in which KG he was member of. In the document of WAST was only KG2 and KG66 mentioned. He was in January 1943 in Russia. How could I find out which KG it was

Kind regards

Schalabeer

[Brian Bines]

As he was in Russia in January 1943 is there anything from WAST to indicate that he was with 15/KG6, who flew supply missions in He111s to Stalingrad in the last half of the month. From what I gather 15/KG6 flew the He111, Do217 and Ju88S ceasing as a unit in August 1943, with crews going to III/KG6/KG66,

Regards

Brian Bines

[Matti Salonen]

His EKM 58214/258 is from 5./KG 2 and possibly given before February 1943.

Matti[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/JRJEST%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.png[/IMG][IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/JRJEST%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot-1.png[/IMG]

[schalabeer]

Hello Matti,

sorry but I can't see the files.

Kind regards

Schalabeer

[Brian Bines]

On his NVM it shows his basic flying training would have been done at FFS A/B 3 at Guben.

[Matti Salonen]

My message contained no files. My computer sometimes adds funny things to the message and I don't know why and how I could prevent it.

Matti

[Marcel van Heijkop]

Hi Schalabeer,

Welcome to this forum! I'm working on a book ("Chronik") about the history of I./KG66, the Zielfindergruppe to which Wilhelm Schmidt's Ergänzungsstaffel belonged. I can not add much to Wilhelm Schmidt's personal details as I got most of my info myself from Melvin Brownless (for which a huge thanks again, Melvin!).
However I can add that your relative would have used the so called "EGON-Verfahren" technique to mark the target. With this technique, the aircraft's transponder (FuG25a IFF) is interrogated by 2 Freya radars and it's course plotted on a huge glass table. Corrections are then passed on from the ground station to the aircraft using coded radio or Morse signals.

Regarding the raid itself: The raid on Bristol (target being the Docks area with a subsidiary attack on London) can be regarded as a total failure. Of the 139 bombers sent, 112 were plotted over England and 13 aircraft were lost. Target marking was poor and as a result the bombing was scattered all over Southern England, not a single bomb of the 100 tonnes of bombs hitting the intended targets...

Apart from the Ju 88 S-1 of the Besatzung Schmidt, I./KG66 also lost a Ju 188E of 2./KG66 due to Flak and nightfighter damage, the Besatzung of Lt. Fara finally bailing out near Dunkirk in France. Another Ju 188 of 2./KG66 had to abort the mission because of engine failure.

Hope this helps. I would be very interested to hear from you, please see the PM I sent to you.

Best regards,

Marcel