Loss of Do 215 at Ontajärvi in 1943?

[Martti Kujansuu]

From a report posted by Finnish Sissi os. Grönroos on March 19th 1943.
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/fullpic.ka?kuid=3587177

"An own plane, though to be a Dornier 215 by an ex-Finnish Air Force officer, was found at grid x = 7150, y = 3530 [east of Ontajärvi /Martti]. The plane probably made a crash landing as a result of lack of fuel since it had not burned. The engine [sic] had seperated [from the fuselage], the whole plane had cut trees from large area while landing. Russkies had removed all valuable parts from the plane and booby-trapped it and the surroundings. Pilot's [sic] body was not in the plane".

http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=6...44452&t=h&z=10

Maastokohdasta x = 7150 y = 3530 löydettiin oma pommikone, jonka mukana ollut entinen ilmavoimien upseeri arveli olevan Dornier 215. Lentokone ei ollut palanut pudotessaan, tästä päätellen arveltiin sen tehneen pakkolaskun bensiinin puutteessa. Moottori oli irtautunut iskusta, kone oli taittanut laskeutuessaan puita pitemmältä alalta. Ryssät olivat evakuoineeet lentokoneesta kaikki arvokkaat osat ja ansoittaneet koneen ja sen ympäristön. Lentäjän ruumista ei koneessa ollut.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

I don't think Luftwaffe used Do 215 in this area.

On the other hand, Aufklärungskette (F)/Lappland lost three Do 17 P in 1941 and 1942:

10 July 1941: Do 17 P WNr 1079 missing with its crew

12 September 1941: Do 17 P-1 WNr 4173 shot down by Soviet AA fire during a sortie to Ritajärvi ? Crew lost

30 April 1942: Do 17 P WNr 3547 shot down by a Hurricane of 17 GShAP (?) near Kuusamo. Crew lost

I don't know if the crashplace of the above are known, but maybe the wreck found by Finnish troops was one of these.

[Kari Lumppio]

Hei!

Martti. Would the Nachtaufklärer loss in Valtonen's Pohjoinen Sivusta-book fit into this? I don't remember even the year. IIRC it was K7+KL but I am far from sure. It was a Do 17P? This loss has been burned to my brain because it is the only Luftwaffe Nachtaufklärer loss with a "Finnish" tie I know.

Update: It was Do 17P WNr 3552 K7+ML 3./Nachtaufklärerstaffel. Missing over Lake Ladoga February 19th, 1943.

I think Aufklärerkette Lappland lost also Do 17 at that sector of front in 1941 (or early -42). (OK, Laurent gave these to you already)

BTW Would handwritten Ontajärvi look like "Ritajärvi"?


Cheers,
Kari

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, all

Still haven't got all recon losses registered, so I will not commit to anything... but it seems that at least one unit which operated under Luftflotte 5 at some point had at least one Do 215. It was not in their inventory, but it was at some point damaged at Riga-Spilve:

http://www.ahs.no/ref_db/lw_loss_pub...?lossid=121650

Conversion training, clandestine operations? No idea, but would be interesting if someone have more on this aircraft.

It is of course more likely that the aircraft was a mis-identified Do 17.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Martti Kujansuu]

This is a different plane, but maybe one of the listed planes?
http://digi.narc.fi/digi/fullpic.ka?kuid=2918163
"December 1st 1941. [...] Circa fifteen kilometers NE of the NE end of Ontajärvi, remains of a German two-engined plane was seen. Apart from the tail the whole plane had burned".

[Andreas Brekken]

Hello, Martti.

Is my understanding correct that these are records from the war diary of LLv 44?

In that case - NICE!

Regards,
Andreas B