Me210 loss 1943?

[wightwrecks]

Hi Searching for information on a reported AAA shootdown of a Me210 over the Isle of Wight in summer of 1943. Sketchy info supplied to myself indicates that 2 Me210's were overflying Island at approx 40,000 feet and were fired on by AA using a new type of shell. One aircraft alledgely brought down into sea south of the island. Not sure of the validity of this info. I know that one of a flight of 3 109's was brought down over the island by a direct hit at high altitude, but this a/c crashed inland. So is this a seperate incident or confusion from an apparent eye witness??

Any info would be greatfully recieved.

Thanks Andy

[Chris Goss]

I have no records or losses to support this and suspect it was the loss of Lt Hans Jaschinski of 3(F)/123 in a Bf 109 G-4 on 16 Aug 43 who was claimed by Flak but in fact brought down by 124 Sqn at Newchurch

[George Hopp]

Possibly the a/c was a Ju 88 with GM-1. The Me 210 was pretty well out of 1st line service by this time, and to the best of my knowledge could never have made it to the altitude you claim for it. Me 410 recce a/c were not yet equipped with GM-1, although possibly test a/c might be available. And, there are no losses of this type mentioned in the data I have.

[wightwrecks]

Thanks for the input.
The eye witness is apparently sure of the incident ( all this was relayed to myself through a third party) although of course his recognition may be erroneous but he is sure of the period.

I was very interested in Chris's reply re the BF109 of Lt Hans Jaschinski being shot down by 124 sqdn, when I was researching this incident some years ago, I was told by one source that this a/c was shot down by a Mosquito and not by AAA, in fact parts of the wreckage reportedly bore machine gun or cannon round holes; but several other sources poo-poo'd this and said that it was definately AAA fire that downed the a/c.
Obviously, the Isle of Wight view is that the a/c WAS shot down by Island based batteries, (well we would wouldn't we!!). Is there definate documentary evidence of the 124 Sqd shoot down?
As usual controversy reigns.

regards

Andy G.

[George Hopp]

"The Blitz Then and Now" volume 3, page 291, says that Bf 109G-4/R3, 14763, Blue 1+, was shot down from 32,500 feet by F/L P. Harwood and F/O B. Brooks in Spitfire VIIs of 124 Sqdn. on 16 Aug 43, at 7.20pm. The a/c broke up in the air killing Lt. H. Jaschinski. The crash site was at Hill Farm, Newchurch, Isle of Wight. Interesting is the altitude of the shoot-down which would have made ground observation highly problematic.

Especially interesting was the additional note that at the crash site, Steve Vizard, John Ellis and Simon Parry excavated the remains of the DB 603 engine of that a/c. That was hardly likely if the a/c was a 109 since the 109 was never operational with the DB 603. So, was the excavated engine type a mis-print, or was it actually an Me 410, which was powered by the DB 603, that had been shot down? My vote is that the engine type is a mis-print, and that the a/c was the Bf 109G-6 mentioned above.

[Andy Fletcher]

Originally Posted by Chris Goss

I have no records or losses to support this and suspect it was the loss of Lt Hans Jaschinski of 3(F)/123 in a Bf 109 G-4 on 16 Aug 43 who was claimed by Flak but in fact brought down by 124 Sqn at Newchurch

Wasn't Jaschinski serving with 4.(F)/123 at the time of his loss not 3.(F)/123

[Chris Goss]

Typo!

[Brian Bines]

Is it correct that Ltn. Jaschinski had also served as a paratrooper ? Just a thought could the report of the Me 210's refer to the loss of two Me 410's of 1(F)/121 lost on 25/26-4-1944

[Chris Goss]

..but they were lost at night?

[George Hopp]

From ADI (K) Report No. 223/1944 of 20 May 1944:

On the night of 25/26 April 1944, Lw bomber forces made 2 attacks on shipping and concentrations of landing craft in the Portsmouth area. During both these attacks Me 410s of 1 (F)/121 flew strike assessment sorties over the target area, taking photographs with the help of photographic flash bombs. One of these Me 410s was shot down by a nightfighter during the 2nd attack; the W/T operator, who baled out, was picked up later in the sea and taken into Portsmouth.

These attacks were carried out based on cover obtained by a/c of 3/121 in the early morning of 25 April 1944.

The a/c had been flying at 8,000m with the W/T operator freely throwing out Window. But, though the a/c had Neptun, the pilot chose not to use it. The a/c had taken off from Orly soon after 0400 hours.

On the intell report the a/c type was stated to be a Me 410 B-4, a sub-type with which I am not familiar. I note, from the 1944 C-Amts reports, no Me 410B-type recce a/c were ever produced, so I would assume that the a/c was actually an Me 410A-3 -- of interest only, I guess, to us rivet counters.

As with the 109 mentioned earlier, visual observation of this shoot down would have been very problematic.

"The Blitz: Then and Now," vol. 3 says the a/c belonged to 1(F)/122 and was shot down at 05:07, by F/L BA Burtbridge and F/L FS Skelton in a Mosquito of 85 Sqdn. They shot down Oberlt. H Kroll (Staffelkapitan) killed, and Ofrich. W Mayer PoW.