IV.NJG.1 - Ofw. Paul Gildner - BF-110 (G9+HM) - Febr-Mar '41

[jjp_nl]

Hi everyone,

I’m Jelmer from the Netherlands. One of my hobbies is building scale-models. I’m currently looking into doing a German Night Fighter project, and a fairly ‘specific’ one at that.

I have a bit of a ‘weak spot’ for the German Night Fighters as I happen to live near Leeuwarden Airforce base, which during the war was developed and used by the Germans, going from no more then a strech of grass into an important Fliegerhorst for German Nightfighter operations.

An interesting starting point for a modelling project was to do the night fighter that achieved the first dunkelnachtjagd victory while operating from Leeuwarden.

Off to do some research, fast forward the piecing together of the rough storie and people and planes involved. To summarize things, this is how it looks sofar.

The date of the above mentioned event is the night of 28 Febr-1 March 1941. The German pilot involved was Ofw. Paul Gildner (the soon to become ace that went on to score some 40+ victories until he died in a crash following engine trouble with his BG-110G4 in febr '43)

The nightfighter diaries and other sources put Gildner and his radio operator Rudi Muller at the helm of a 4./NJG.1 BF-110 with registration G9+HM on the night of 28 Febr- 1 March 1941. Patrolling sector 'Löwe' (Lion) Gildner intercepted and shot down a 105 Sqn Blenheim IV that crashed near the eastern outskirts of the city of Groningen. (note: the night fighterdiaries tables mentions a Wellington, whereas the text says it’s a Blenheim)

The Blenheim was a straggler, returning from a raid on Wilhelmshaven, with engine troubles, which made it an obvious target for Gildner. It was a Blenheim MKIV T1895. Only the pilot, Sgt. John S Heape, miraculously survived. According to Heape one of the eniges exploded knocking a large hole in the fuselage near the cockpit. It's through this hole Sgt. Heape in a semi-unconcious state kind of fell/stumbled out of the airplane and somehow managed to open his parachute...and lived to tell the tale.

Sofar, I’ve managed to piece together a pretty plausible story. However, in regard to actually building Gildners BF-110 I’m kind of in the dark (bad choice of words isn't it). Is there any information available about what Gildners plane might have looked like in spring ’41? I did find some profile (that comes with an Owl Decals aftermarket decal set) and a few pic’s of a BF-110 with the registration G9+HM of roughly a year later which turns it into a Bf 110E-2, WrNr 4384 which in early ’42 was flown by Oblt. Wilhelm Herget, and was involved in operation Donnerkeil. Also some pic’s are available of G9-HM lying on some shoreline in Norway/Denmark.

However, I’ve not been able to find any information on what G9-HM (if it’s even the same plane) looked like a year earlier at the time of Gildners victory over the Blenheim. I did find a few night-time close-up pic’s of a BF-110 that are said to be of Gildners plane in spring '41, but other then establish that it was a typical black coloured night fighter that looked pretty scruffy in places (former ZG colors showing through the overall black paint?) nothing can be made of these as far as specific features, marking etc. is concerned (sharks mouth/ID bands etc. etc.) If somebody told me it was Santa's plane, I could have easily believed him too (to give an idea iof how much information can be obtained from these pictures. In addition, these close-up pic's (unclear as they are) suggest that it's a BF-110C, although looking at it I can't say for sure as the shape of the nose isn't very cleary visable.

Any information on this particular BF-110 would be greatly appreciated.

Jelmer

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Jelmer,

Overall black, fuselage code G9+HM in grey, no sharkmouth and no flame exhausters. I still have to check which subtype Gildner could have flown because the II./NJG 1 in that time was equipped with C-4, D-2 and D-3.

There is a picture where a black Bf110 with Gildner was equipped with an infrared light and so called Spanner-Anlage, must look that up also but I guess that this is much later and not relevant for February/March 1941.

All the best,

Marcel Hogenhuis / Venlo

[jjp_nl]

Thank you so much Marcel!

If Gildners unit at the time was exclusively equipped with C and D models it would mean BF-110E-1 werk.nr 4384 with the same fuselage code (G9-HM) (of which a few pic's exist of roughly a year later as it was flown and apparently ditched by Wilhelm Herget during Donnerkeil), is a different machine altogether with the same registration.

Fairly confusing to me (not being an experienced researcher inas far as unit history/names etc. is concerned ) as the unit name is the same (not taking into account renaming/reorganisation (I think) of Gildners unit, of which I learned later on) So, I kind of figured since Gildner also went on to fly Do-17/Do-215 A/C for a while his 110 might possibly have soldiered on with a different pilot (being Herget) or something.

Did you manage to derive this from more clear pictures of Gildners machine? (does it also mention a werk.nr of sorts?, as the night-time close-ups which are said to be of Gildners machine in spring '41, I mentioned in my start post show no such details whatsoever) If indeed there are more clear pictures of Gildners machine, I'd be very interested in obtaining these pictures. Same goes for a picture of Gildner in/with a Spanner-Anglage equiped 110.

If it helps, from what I know of the technical side of the D-2/D-3 subtypes, it is to be recognized by provisions for drop-tanks (either 900L or 300L under the wings, with 300L being only for the D-2 and either 900L or 300L for D-3) and an ETC500 rack in the centre. The C sub-type would probably only have the ETC500 rack in the centre.

Hope I dont bother you too much

Thanks in advance

Jelmer

[jjp_nl]

Just a thought here that may be of some help to those who have recources available. Maybe a bit of a shot in the dark here, but since NJG.1 was formed (at least in part) from units of ZG.1 in jun 1940... is it possible that Gildner might have kept is BF-110 from his ZG.1 days?

I found an event dated 10th May 1940 during with Gildner (among others) flew BF-110's together with Werner Streib to intercept a flight of Blenheim near Waalhaven airbase, The Netherlands

Is anything known about Gildners BF-110 from his ZG.1 days (werk.nr, fuselage code etc)? If so, is it possible he may have kept this plane and went on to fly it (as G9+HM) as he became part of NJG.1?

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Jelmer,

As I see your identical request on several forums at the same time (12 O'Clock High, LEMB and Axis History) you are - of course without bad intentions - pushing several people to search for you for the same information.

My advice: if one forum gives no result within a week, try another but not several forums at the same time. My time is too precious, risking that 2-3 other helpful people do the same job.

Good luck, Marcel

[jjp_nl]

It was never my intention to push anybody around. Do feel absolutely free to take your time to look up the details (should any exist beyond what is known at this point) With little experience in research on these matters I now realize that looking up things like this takes time and effort, and once again I don't wish to push anybody around to get it done or anything. So, I do hope (as I've seen your name being mentioned as having a lot of knowlegde about NJG.1) you're still willing to look into it despite my perhaps over-enthousiastic approach.

The idea behind me posting my question on severals other forums as well was that I wanted to try and get information through several different channels (seemed like a reasonable course of action at the time), not thinking of the fact perhaps lot of the people who have acces to information are probably active in the same communities or that perhaps several different but well informed people put in time and effort in looking up the same thing.

[joyban]

This one ?

http://i878.photobucket.com/albums/a...ban70/1101.jpg

Bf-110 Type ? "G9 + FM" from 4./NJG 1 with - FuG 202.

[jjp_nl]

Getting closer to the G9+HM I'm looking for . I've seen this picture in Luftwaffe Im Focus 4. According to the description of the picture this is a BF-110D possibly equiped with one of the first something FuG202 units delivered to 4./NJG1. in February '42. The magazine says this picture was taken during the summer of '42 (I think Gildner by then was also flying Do-17/Do-215 tho as there's some picture of him posing near his mount around the time he was awared the Ritterkreuz in july 1941)

While probably not Gildners plane (unless he used multiple mounts) it still is a very usable reference to make out some of the details present on a typical BF-110D night-fighter/. Although the color of the registration on Gildners plane in febr-march '41 was light grey (or so I've been told) Nonetheless thanks for putting this picture up

Jelmer

[joyban]

Hi

BTW can any one get the Work Number for this Aircraft and what type this is ? a C, D or
E type ?

Best Regards

Sujoy

[joyban]

This is the Picture Jelmer has been referring to.
So the Work Number is 4384. Any further information on the Airctaft type and operational History ?

Best Regards

Sujoy