Ju87-losses due to "bomb-explosion"

[yogybär]

Some documents show unexplained explosions of Ju87 during flight, i.e.:

StG2:
"
(Hptm. Wutka, Bernhard -- geb. 12/3/1916 in Dittersbach,
gefallen durch Explosion seiner Ju 87 im Ansatz zum Sturz
beim Auslösen der Bomben - G.Brütting)
...
(Am 14/7/1943 explodierte Maschine von Oblt. Schmid
bei einem Angriff o. Winogradowka in ca. 600 m Höhe.
Mit ihm fiel sein BF Uffz. Walter Dicker - H.Nauroth)
"
StG77:
"
Ju 87D-3 W.Nr. 110318 4./St.G. 77
FF Amelin, Ofw. Bernhard
BF Schwarz, Uffz. Wilhelm
Both KIA, exploded in flight. Pl.Qu. 6121 100% F

Ju 87D-3 W.Nr. 1075 5./St.G. 77
FF Fitzner, Oblt. Karl
BF Meyer, Fw. Ernst
Both KIA when aircraft exploded in flight. Also brought down wingman Känig. Pl.Qu. 61152 100% F

Ju 87D-3 W.Nr. 1423 2./St.G. 77
FF Hoffmann, Uffz. Hans
BF Janke, Uffz. Herbert
Both killed, exploded in flight. Pl.Qu. 61212 100% F
"

I read something about romanian Ju87's exploding during bomb-drop. Does anyone know more on this and its reason?

[Csaba B. Stenge]

The Hungarian crewmembers mentioned me these events as well (at the St.G. 77) They said, that these sad events happened probably because sabotage and the bombs exploded, when the electric fuzes were set in.

They said, these sorties were the real "Russian roulette" sorties.

[Michal]

Hptm. Wutke und Oblt. Schmidt was killed due to sabotage. When StG 2 was based on Sechscha A/F and some sorroundings A/Fs, resistance group on A/F led by Gefr. Vendelín Roblička (Wendelin Rablitschka), Sudeten Czech served in Luftwaffe because of his German mother as Volksdeutsche. He started to cooperate with Kletnian Partisan Brigade led by Major Morozov in 1943 and put special bombs into planes. Later he deserted from Luftwaffe and succesfully reach position of Red Army. He ended NKVD school for spy and two times was dropped as agent on the territory of Moravia. In 50s he was jailed by Czechoslovak Communist StB as American Spy and sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.

[yogybär]

interesting...

in the ARR-forum, some stories are told about the electric system of the sirenes having electrical problems and thus making the bombs detonate... but that sounds strange to me (although I am no electric specialist).

So, what happened to the StG77-planes exactly?

[Nick Beale]

12 July 1943: Ju 87 B-1, WNr. 5189, M9+YA of 4. Störkampfstaffel Luftflotte 4 was lost due to "Explosion in der Luft"

3 July 1944: Ju 87 D, E8+VH of 1./NSG destroyed when its engine caught fire on the ground, detonating its bomb load.

I'm not an expert but detonations in the air might result from a fault in the method used to arm the bomb as it leaves the aircraft.

[RT]

The use of bomblets/sd2.. in containers AB ,was also not liked by the crews