Rodeo 90

[Steve49]

During Rodeo 90 on the 18th August 129 Squadron claimed one He59 destroyed and one He115 probably destroyed during a clash near Cherbourg. The squadron was subsequently bounced by III/JG2 who claimed four Spitfire's, but actually shotdown two and badly damaged a third. Does anybody know what, if any losses were suffered by He59/115 units (1.Seenotstaffel?) on this day?

Thanks

Steve

[Seaplanes]

Only one He 59 was lost on 18.08.1942 (I presume this is the correct yoear you are looking for), no He 115 was reported lost or damaged this day.

18.08.42 2. Seenotstaffel (Cherbourg). He 59E W.Nr. 2871 St.Kz. PY+NO Shot down by enemy fighters over the Channel about 15 km north of Barfleur. Lt. Helmut Eckenfels (B) killed, Ofw. Wilhelm Heefchen (F) wounded, Ofw. Josef Bertels (Bm) missing and San.Uffz. Theodor Vennemann missing. A fifth crewmember was rescued unwounded.

Later the same day He 59D W.Nr. 1840 St.Kz. RC+BN of the same unit, was sent out to search for the missing 2871. This aircraft was also attacked by enemy aircraft, but the aircraft commander Lt. Wagner, brought the plane back to Cherbourg with only 10% damages. Ofw. Oswald Mai (F) was killed and Fw. Paul Slabon (Bm) was wounded. Before being attacked the crew of RC+BN managed to rescue two crewmembers of 2871 alive, although one seriously wounded. Also Lt. Eckenfels was found dead and brought back to Cherbourg.

[David Pausey]

Hi Steve

2 Seenot-staffel lost He59 W.Nr 2871 100% destroyed, Ofw Wilhelm Heefehen, Lt Helmut Lakenfels, Ofw Josef Bertels all missing ?.

He59 W.Nr 1840 was 10% damaged no crew casualties ?
both in combat over the sea.

Claimed by 12 Spitfire MkVb's flown by the following pilots:-
S/L RH Thomas
F/L B Ingham
F/L ES Hall
F/O HG Jones
Sgt RL Reeves
Sgt MW Frith
Sgt AJ Edwards MIA(POW AD415 or AR339)
Sgt HJM McDonnell MIA(KIA AD415 or AR339)
Sgt P Gatley
Sgt A Bradshaw
Sgt SG Jenssen(Cat B safe)
Sgt R Engelen
Info on 129 Sqn losses from Fighter Command losses by Norman Franks, Luftwaffe losses from the loss returns at the IWM London.

All the best
David

[Steve49]

Thanks for that,

Yes it was 1942 I was asking about. I wasn't 100% certain with the identities of the the aircraft because I've got one note describing the aircraft as a He59 and a He115, but the Squadron ORB listed the claims as one He59 'shotdown into the sea' (obviously W.Nr 2871) and one He59 which touched down off Cherbourg 'badly damaged' (obviously 1840).

The ORB describes the incident as being as follows; at 09.30 129 Squadron was launched to investigae aircraft off Cherbourg. They encountered two He59's and six Fw190's and claimed the hits on both of the Rescue Aircraft before clashing with fighters, lossing two Spitfire's (flown by F/Sgt A,J, Edwards and F/Sgt H.J.M McDonnell-both killed) and having one badly damaged (flown by Sgt S.G. Jenssen-he returned unharmed but died the next day during the Dieppe raid).

Thanks again for answering my question.

Steve

[Ian Jewison]

Originally Posted by Seaplanes

Only one He 59 was lost on 18.08.1942 (I presume this is the correct yoear you are looking for), no He 115 was reported lost or damaged this day.

18.08.42 2. Seenotstaffel (Cherbourg). He 59E W.Nr. 2871 St.Kz. PY+NO Shot down by enemy fighters over the Channel about 15 km north of Barfleur. Lt. Helmut Eckenfels (B) killed, Ofw. Wilhelm Heefchen (F) wounded, Ofw. Josef Bertels (Bm) missing and San.Uffz. Theodor Vennemann missing. A fifth crewmember was rescued unwounded.

Later the same day He 59D W.Nr. 1840 St.Kz. RC+BN of the same unit, was sent out to search for the missing 2871. This aircraft was also attacked by enemy aircraft, but the aircraft commander Lt. Wagner, brought the plane back to Cherbourg with only 10% damages. Ofw. Oswald Mai (F) was killed and Fw. Paul Slabon (Bm) was wounded. Before being attacked the crew of RC+BN managed to rescue two crewmembers of 2871 alive, although one seriously wounded. Also Lt. Eckenfels was found dead and brought back to Cherbourg.

Interesting old thread! I have Heefchen's Flugbücher and on this day it simply says shot down by a spitfire!

The crew were according the log book:

Lt. Helmut Eckenfels (B) killed
Ofw. Wilhelm Heefchen (F) wounded (lost his right leg)
Ofw. Josef Bertels (Bm) killed
San.Uffz. Theodor Vennemann killed
Quade (?) Survived

Obfw. Heefchen was one of four members of the Seenotdienst to be awarded the German Cross in Gold. One of the others being Leutnant Wagner the pilot of the second He 59 to be shot up on this day!

Never noticed it before but the entry in the log book is closed 24.8.1942 in Cherbourg by Lt. u. B1 Dr. Wagner!

Engelhorn, Eduard. Oberleutnant. Seenot-Dienst-Führer 2 (Süd)
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold 20.3.1944

Hahn, Willy. Stabsfeldwebel. 8./Seenot-Staffel
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold 23.2.1943

Heefchen, Wilhelm. Oberfeldwebel. 2./Seenot-Staffel
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold 24.9.1942

Wagner, Theodor. Oberleutnant. 4./Seenot-Staffel
Deutsches Kreuz in Gold 16.4.1944

/Ian

[Ian Jewison]

From a report dated 31.8.1942:

On 18.08.1942 again two German Air-Sea Rescue aircraft were attacked over the channel by British fighters and heavily damaged. One plane crashed and the crew, whose commander was mortally wounded remained shipwrecked in the channel. The commander of the second Air-Sea Rescue aircraft Leutnant Wagner, took over command after the fatal wounding of his pilot guiding the second aircraft with a lot of difficulty which was severely damaged back to port.
With a new aircraft the Leutnant immediately started again to search for his comrades of the crashed aircraft. He managed to find the two survivors, one of whom was wounded and also to recover the dead commander of the now sunken aircraft.

/Ian

[RT]

Seems Ian, is right with the fact that 2 planes were "aggressed" at the same time, Wagner flying later to save some people with the He59 2791.

But with the crew names the reports mixed the original crew with crew saved...wonder if Bjorn is gone further with that one ??

Rémi