Ju 88 june 28th 1944

[Xerumbe]

Hello,

06/28/44, Ourches, Drôme, France. Air attack on partisans supplies depots. A JU 88 crashes in the locality "La côte blanche". 5 dead. Aircraft nor located either identified by the intelligence services of the German archives. Crew: Obgfr Ewald Henker, Oblt Stephan Ulrich, Herbert Werner Obgfr Gaudigs, Uffz Alois Hennecke, Obgrf Edmund Klein.

I think this airplane may belong to the II./KG 26 (Valence) but i don't find it in my archives. Can you help me to identify the unit please ?

Thanks.

[Nick Beale]

http://www.ghostbombers.com/Bongart/GB_08.html

[Xerumbe]

OK Nick. Could this plane belong to the ZG/1 (part of IV Gruppe G.Bongart) ? Then, it could be a JU 88C ?

I'm not familiar with the organizational structure of G. Bongart; instead you seem to be.

Thank you for the help.

[Nick Beale]

Since it was carrying five men, I think it is more likely to have been a Ju 88 A — there was more space available than in the solid nosed versions. You will see from other pages on my website that Bongart had a few Ju 88 on its strength before 2./ZG 1 was attached to it. The structure of the Geschwader is described on the page for 22 July.

[edNorth]

Originally Posted by Xerumbe

Then, it could be a JU 88C ?

No. This was not Zerstörer (note 5 crew!) Zerstörers had three crew.

Plane was Ju 88 A-5, W.Nr.0880504 (PB+GB) of 11./"Gesch. Bongart"


Ghostbombers (Nick Beale) has 880504 PB+GB, omitting the first in number (really was 0880504) But we do not know if this code was in fact painted on or omitted.

It once had been an A-5 (F) Recce with 3.(F)/33, but in 1944 it is known (reported) many times...

- Ju 88 A-5 12./Fl.Z.G 1 (Luftwaffe)
Known in maintenance Celle Airfield 06.03.1944
[TNA HW5 CS/MSS/R.132 C 22. (2) ]

- Ju 88 A-5 (Luftwaffe)
Known (West Europe) 17.05.44, 20.05.44, 23.05.44
[as Ju 88 A-5 504 in TNA HW5 CX/MSS/R.206 A .. and R.223 C 64., but A-5 0504 in R.216 C ..]

- Ju 88 “1./AuxFlareDropStaffel”
(Luftwaffe) Known (West Europe) 05.06.44
[as Ju 88 504 in CX/MSS/R.214 C 109.]

- Ju 88 A-5 Fl.Z.G 2 (Luftflotte XI)
Known (unk location) 08.06.44 [as A5 0507 in TNA HW5 Ultra CX/MSS/R.222 C 52. (Note: Most likely in error because <A5> 0507 known lost May 1941 but 0504 is known many times (above).]

-Ed

[Xerumbe]

The Ju88 A-5 W.nr 0880504 PB + GB crashed against the cliff overlooking the hamlet near the river in the town of Gigors and Lozeron, 5 dead (06/28/44). It's not the plane i'm looking for. This one crashed 4 km east from the JU 88 found at Ourches.

In fact 2 Ju 88s fell down this day. I have a photo of the plane crashed at Ourches, if it could help you:



I do not notice anything that can help us on this photo. Maybe you will able to find a detail ?

[edNorth]

This is Ju 88 A-1/A-5, early A-4 tailfin (no aerodynamic balance on top of rudder).
Optimistic, I think this also was fabric covered rudder/elevators (therefor A-1/5 rudder)
but with heavy Light gray mottling. -Ed

Adding: Name Ourches not found in my texts, and no other A-1/5 loss this day in France. So is date correct?

PS. Have nice match tonight (Islande - France) :-) ... !!!!

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by edNorth

Adding that name Ourches not found in my texts, and no other A-1/5 loss this day in France. So is date correct?

Ourches is referred to here, for example: http://www.museedelaresistanceenlign...=114&media=561

Lors de l'attaque allemande du 28 juin 1944 à La Rochette-sur-Crest et Ourches

"During the German attack of 28 June 1944 at La-Rochette-sur-Crest and Ourches"

[edNorth]

I mean in my loss texts (28.06.44) no Ourches Ju 88 loss listed, but my French is bad. Shurely do not rule out other (not yet found) loss.

Hope my team will not need talk much with the French. Just win them - first England, then France! :-)
Edit: 5th place is unarguable quite a victory and see 10.000 Vikings cheer in Paris in unbelivable

-Ed

[Nick Beale]

See also this web page: http://www.aerosteles.net/pmathevet/drome2.pdf (You need to scroll down quite along way, incidents are listed in chronological order).

The Voksbund for Kriegsgräberfürsorge pages give Ourche and 28 June for Henker's place and date of death.