JU88 loss ON 23 Dec 1942 near Axat in the South west of France

[gilles collaveri]

do any of you have any info about a JU88 crashed on 23 December 1942 near Axat ?



It seems that the crew bailed out since no bodies were found in the wreck;

This took place in the Pyrenees mountains, in the South West of France, not far from the Spanish border (village where the crash happened : Escouloubre)


so, if you have any information about that forgotten bird ?

Thanks as usual,


GC

[RT]

It's the one from St Ybars ???

Rémi

[gilles collaveri]

Good point Remi.

Same date indeed but the place is totally different (St Ypars is south of Toulouse)

and I don't think there could be a confusion because the St Ypars one was 80% destroyed while the other was probably 100 % Bruch (crash in the mountains..)

so, I believe it is another aircraft , but I cannot find, even with Matti's help.

Maybe it was not recorded, because the crew bailed out,

what do you think ?

GC

[RT]

Not reported so the second one, because the one of St Ybars was also only reported in the NVM, not in the usual lists, probably the unit, possibly they were a bit busy at one moment..

I thought to 1943, because in nov/Dec. some Ju88 transit to Spain, around there.

What hv you found indeed, pièces, rapport de gendarmerie ??


Rémi

[edNorth]

Maybe this to search for (below)? Well, probably not. One crewless Ju 88 "landed" itself on mountain in Sweden, after cossing Baltic on "autopilot" (Kursst.).

0110161 Ju 290 A-3 SB+QK Luftwaffe
[Maritime-Recce mfd 1943, BMW 801 L engines, FuG 200 "Hohentwiel" Search-Radar]
- 9V+DH 1./FAGr 5
- Ju 290 A-3 FAGr 5 (Luftflotte 3)
OPS (F) struck ground <mountain> (100%) in the Pyrenien 26.12.1943 (F Oblt. Werner Nedela, F Lt. Hans Flieger, B Hptm. Richard Schmoll, B Uffz. Alfred Güde, BF Fw. Clemens Reckersdrew, BF Uffz. Oskar Matt, BM Fw. Adolf Wiedra, BS Uffz. Franz Margowski, BS Uffz. Gerhard Schramm and BS Uffz. Valentin Sabotski killed)
( Ju 290 A3 161 in losses)

-Ed

PS - Date of wreck found ??
It may have been there for days, weeks or longer. We need letters (code) or some number or type to go by. Because there are many hundreds of planes still missing. If one has enough money, one can scan the seabed for extinct types and probly stuff a whole museum with them. Think Do 217, He 177, Ju 188, Ju 290 - to name the obvious ones from the Luftwaffe side. Not counting subtypes.

[gilles collaveri]

Guys, thanks for your comments and your ideas.


Facts :

1) date is 23 Dec 1942; This is 100% sure, as we have a clear Gendarmerie report dated 23 Dec 1942 describing the crash.

2) A/C Type: unsure.
this report clearly states "Junkers88" but we don't know what they considered to write this. Markings on the wreck ? the best way to be sure of the A/C type is to go on site and find parts. This is planned in the months to come.

3) no bodies were found on site. (cf report)
Ed, the JU290 you mention may be our bird, but do you know if the crew survived or was killed ? if crew was killed, this JU290 cannot be our bird.

look forward to your comments.

GC

[Chris Goss]

I have looked at Luftwaffe losses 23-31 Dec 42 and can see nothing that matches. 3 x Ju 88 C-6s of V/KG 40 had a few problems that day but came down nowhere near the Pyrenees. Trouble is there was much going on at that time in North Africa and Stalingrad and any loss with no crew casualties could have been reported much later. The Ju 290 was over a year later BTW

[Merlin]

The Ju 290 crashed at Lesaka in Spain (close the Atlantic coast) on 26.12.43 - it could not be the Ju 88 you are looking for.

[gilles collaveri]

Thanks Chris & Merlin, you are right, let's forget the JU290.

Chris, I think you put the finger on it;

Who has the log of V/KG40 losses ?

GC

[Chris Goss]

....er me?!! The losses were Lorient, Merignac, Lacanau and Langon.