Fieseler Storch - crash near 'Gorilla' radarpost

[Leendert]

I refer to link https://docplayer.nl/107891468-Toch-...personeel.html

The account (all in Dutch) tells about a crash of a Fieseler Storch near the German 'Gorilla' radarpost at Overheicop/Schoonrewoerd in central Netherlands in the paragraph starting with 'Op 23 juli 1943...'

Date of crash is not specified. One occupant died in the crash, the other died later in a hospital in nearby Leerdam.

Story says the Fieselers were used for calibration, but on this occasion the pilot did some 'aerial stunts', apparently with fatal results.

Just to add that the SGLO/Dutch Airwar Study Group database has a crash of a Luftwaffe North American NA-64 (KR+1A of FFS A/B 42)) at Schoonrewoerd on 19 Aug 1943, but here with one fatality and one survivor.

Any leads welcome, thanks.

Regards,


Leendert

[Jaap Woortman]

There one big warning at the end of the story.

This story is from our own memories. Also memories of my cousin, Teunis den Hartog, who at the time lived in Overheicop.
Supplemented by information from earlier publications. Also information of Wikepedia is used.

And a memory is not a very reliable database after 75 years.

Jaap

[edwest2]

I would disagree. My father told me a few things when he was older. I would trust even a fragment of memory over wikipedia.

[Leendert]

Dag Jaap,

I can follow your reasoning, but story was not written yesterday. Just want to rule out a mix with the Luftwaffe NA-64.

No harm in looking for a possible still unrecorded crash?

Groet,

Leendert

[edwest2]

This person may be able to help.

https://www.gyges.dk/Gyges%20Pub%20Comp.htm


Ed

[Leendert]

Did some further digging on (Dutch) websites. Found a reference on https://studiegroepluchtoorlog.nl/wp...-1940-1945.pdf

The NA-64 crash is described here and it very much appears that this is the "Storch" crash. It transpires that Uffz. Wehnert, the killed pilot, was on an unauthorized flight with a passenger.

Regrds,

Leendert

[Chris Goss]

After years, memories can become unreliable. I remember speaking to a chap who pointed out a crash site of a Bf 109 which crashed in 1940 which was in fact a Typhoon which crashed in 1944. He told me this just 40 years after the event...

[TigerTimon]

Very interesting story. I tend to agree with Leendert. There is no proof, but everything on the crashes correlates, though the fate of Unteroffizier Kraft is not clear. The source RL 2 III/776, 98 gives that Kraft did not survive.

Attached a picture of NA-64 KR+IA, old Ebay auction.

Kind regards,

Timon

[TigerTimon]

The time of the crash (18.40 hrs) is the moment when fighter aircraft were scrambled from Dutch airfields to an incoming USAAF raid. At 18.32 hours, enemy aircraft were said to be approaching the southern Netherlands.


Maybe there is a correlation with the crash, where the pilot wanted to land as quickly as possible.