First Bf109 shot down

[Pilot]

First Bf109 was shot down in Spain, in civil war. What is the available info about this very first victim?

[Modeldad]

I believe that was Lt. Guido Höness on 12 December 1937 at Brunete. Aircraft Bf 109B (perhaps Anton designation) numbered 6-4.

Source:
Condor by Patrick Laureau, Hikoki.

This reference lists all 40 Bf109 losses, by all means, in Spain.

[veltro]

Sorry Modeldad, but I think it was 12 July, not 12 December...

Some sources credit the kill to the U.S. volunteer Frank Glasgow Tinker, but his claim took place on 13 July, so no certainties do exist...

[Pilot]

Thank you Modeldad for your kind reply and info. Interesting that even 40 Bf109 lost in Spain.

[Alex Smart]

Patrick Laureau's book "Condor" the Luftwaffe in Spain 1936-1939 has the following

12.7.37.......6-4......Lt. Guido Hóness...........Brunete....S/D......Air Combat.
17.7.37.......?-?......Lt. Gotthard Handrick.....Escalona...S/D.....I-16.
18.7.37.......6-14....Uffz Haarbach.............................S/D.....I-16.
Followed by two in November and one in December. More were to fall as the years passed.

Alex

[Modeldad]

Thank you Ferdinando for the correction. A dyslexic American reading a European dating can result in a truck wreck.

[Pilot]

Interesting info- thank you all. In the meantime I get some info from one researcher. Former VVS pilot Boris Smirnov book related about first downed Messerschmitts during the Brunete battle. He describes the first victory on a Bf 109 by Piotr Burtym, a zveno commander from the 116th Escadrille. Bounced by I-16 of the Chevtsov escadrille, Honess had not time to run away as its colleagues an was soon outmaneuvered and shot down by the Soviet pilot.

As Burtym succeeded to fire on the pilot at a shorted distance, the Messerschmitt immediately went down from a 2500m height and crashed in the nationalist area.