Bv-138 Artic loss 1943

[James A Pratt III]

In looking through tacticmedia.ru/news article
"Crypotologists of the Northern Fleet" Sept 23, 2023

It mentions on Oct 23, 1943 a German Bv-138 was flying over the White sea being forced down by an engine malfunction the crew ended up on Morzhovets Island where a SOS was picked up and the vessel Mga POWed the crew.

luft-zur-see.de has on 29 Aug 1943 Bv-138 wknr 310116 missing over the artic ocean. Could this be the plane?

[igorrB]

This was in fact 6I+CL (wr.nr. 310135) from 3./SAGr 130, made emergency landing in White sea. 20.10.44 land observation post reported about plane flying low and fired flares near Morzhovets island at 04.15-04.30 Moscow time. Then "Crypotologists" says it land somewhere in White sea mouth. MBR-2 was sent to search but see nothing. Then more 4 MBR-2 were sent (all from Morzhovets aerodrome) but again in vain. 21.10.44 still nothing, but at 22.10.44 Bv.138 was discovered only in 27 miles north from Morzhovets.
23.10.44 plane and crew were captured by survey ship MGLA. Bv.138 later sunk being towed by destroyer ZHGUCHIJ

[Chris Goss]

Big error on the date and surely Arctic?

[John Manrho]

Reported as "Notlandung wegen Brennstoffmangel"...

[James A Pratt III]

Thanks for the help Luftwaffe-zur-see.de has the plane lost 19.02.1945 " North sea Emergency landing due to lack of fuel" !?

[igorrB]

I have this plane in my database. There is also names of flyers made POW: uffz's Roland Günther, Paul Friedlein, Egon Roland, Hermann Dieter, Harry Schwabe. None of them present in luftwaffe-zur-see lists. Also case of 19-23.10.44 well documented at soviet side and there were one captured Bv.138 for 100%. Which number/code? luftwaffe-zur-see give two Bv.138 lost at 19.10.44 without any identifications. None for 20-23.10.44. So it may be some kind of error in documents or entry in RL 2-III/1197 is only Erganzung of more earlier loss.