Major Wilhelm HERGET's Ju 88 G-1 found in Belgium!

[kennethklee]

Originally Posted by ClinA-78

Gilles,

The distance between engines matches roughly the enginespan of the Ju 88. Between them we found little parts only, no fuselage.
Moreover, nothing was found of the main gear, annular radiators and oil tanks as such as the engines were simply torn off their mounting. No propellor blades also. The crash seems vertical. And judging a speed deceleration from said 500 to 0 km/h in just 5 meters, we have a violent kinetic isn't it?

Herget, Liebheer and Gröss relatives were not found at the moment (Herget killed himself in the '70s).

ClinA-78

That's admittedly the first I heard Wilhelm Herget committed suicide, I thought he had died of natural causes.

Kenneth

[gilles collaveri]

Nicolas,

by experience on the JU88 on site, you always find a lot of plexi on crash places;

If you have not found any, it is elsewhere, on another place.

Keep on searching around, the cockpit area is not far !! good luck.

Gilles

PS : it may be also 5 meter deep.. ?

[ClinA-78]

I may be wrong but the oil radiator of BMW 801 is annular as like its radiator protected by the annular armour, isn't it?

I get Herget death by private correspondance.

ClinA-78

[ClinA-78]

Gilles,

Some tiny little pieces of plexi were on the surface during the superficial search. We have fully researched the cockpit, it simply 'vanished' and in the case of twin engined with 'soft nose' like the Ju 88, it was torn off as like the wings. The engines buried theirself through a bank of stone.

So Bergungskommando cleant it quite well, even the 2cm ammo, absolutely NO shells were found (only two 13mm cases were picked up).
You certainly know the motto: when digging, you rise more answers than replies.

ClinA-78

[gilles collaveri]

Anyway, well done, Nicolas.

If I may suggest, you could publish some report about what you did, this will interest many people.

A question: do you know if the "Bergungskommando"took pictures of the wrecks they were collecting ? and if these pictures are today available ?

Thanks for your advice.

Gilles

[ClinA-78]

Hi Gilles,

I will publish an article in the local archaeology journal, as like in a famous British magazine but chuuuut...!

I don't know if the Bergungskommando used to take pictures. However my friend Jean-Louis met some Flemish members related with Saint-Omer airfield; some of them took pictures of their work. Those men went even to Florennes in 1944. Jean-Louis wrote an article in Avions.

Here, the picture showing the 'masterpiece' of the recovery, along with the oxygen bottles and fishtail exhausts, the remains of the MG FF/M which was used as a "Schrage Musik".
This is a truly remarkable piece. A Minen-shell was in the chamber and explosed (ignited by the Mosquito's fire?), cutting the MG. We find also a lonely MG 151 barrel but, I repeat, NO ammo; quite odd, isn't it?

Enjoy

ClinA-78

[gilles collaveri]

Great.

No plate found ?

Gilles

[ClinA-78]

No relevant plate (Apparateraum Belüftung, Luftschrauben Regler), nothing interesting.

ClinA-78

[Leo Etgen]

Hello

Interesting thread as I had no idea that he was shot down at any time in his career. Could anyone please post any additional details regarding this incident such as tactical code of the aircraft if known, crew names and ranks and if any of these were casualties? Here is what I have been able to find on this ace. Any comments or corrections will be most appreciated.

Herget.zip

Horrido!

Leo

[ClinA-78]

One last 'mystery':

Some witnesses said that German troops paid a tribute near the crashsite at the daylight. Oddly, aircrew escaped by chute.
Was this ceremony initiated by the high rank of the pilot?
Perhaps airmen were rescued far away in the country, unknown to the Bergungskommando or so? Communications at that time were far less effective than nowadays.
Bergungskommando dug also a lot, hoping to recover the airmen?

Unfortunately Herget left nothing about that story.

Best regards

ClinA-78