German losses at Sola on 17 April 1940

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Lots of off-board activity in photographically documenting this event. Good coverage of the wrecked He59s, the memorial at the shelling site, and a crater made by one of the cruiser's shells. Another good overall photo of the He59s and He115s filling the harbor taken just prior to the events that day.

Still need photos of crashed/wrecked He115s, Bv138, Bf110 and Ju52. Please continue to contact me or post image info so we can wrap this one up. We're now about half way there for really good photo coverage of this story.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Göran Larsson has located information that the Bv138 damage actually took place on April 14th, but only was reported on the 17th. He's also provided a translation of an excellent German report published in a book of the bombardment of the harbor by the Suffolk and the events there from the German side. Great stuff. Still looking for other accounts and photos from that day.

Thanx to all who are sending me materials or posting on this thread.

[robert]

Hi,

German situation report of Air Corps no.X gives as follows:

In the morning seaplane airbase Stavanger-Sola was shelled by British naval forces. Four He 59s were destroyed and 2 He 59s damaged. 1 enemy aircraft (probably artillery spotter) was shot down.
At midday two air attacks had been flown against Stavanger airbase by six and 20 Blenheim bombers respectively. Numerous signal communication aircraft (JU 52) were destroyed, 1 Bf110 burned down. Two killed. The second attack was aborted early due to fighter resistance. Two enemy aircraft were shot down by I./ZG76.
No transport units (shore-based or seaplanes) were engaged on 14.4. due to weather.

Regards

Robert

[Larry Hickey]

Robert,

Thanx. The Bv138 was damaged by German flak, not enemy action. Weather was the reason that it was forced to land at Stavanger, so the 14 April date still looks probable.

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

Here at the EoE project we've now taken the Bf138 off the table of loss/damages for 17 April 1940. Based upon some excellent work by Göran Larsson, Peter Cornwell has now changed our entry as follows:

"17 April 1940 Scandinavian Campaign Delete & Add to 14 April 1940 KGr.zbV 108 Blohm und Voss Bv138A-0 (150). Engaged on re-supply mission from Dassower-See to Norway but diverted to Stavanger due to bad weather. Badly damaged by own AA fire on approach and forced-landed off Stavanger-See. FF [ ] Kröplin, FF Lt [ ] Dobberthein, BM Ernst Schröder, BF Hänschen Schröder, and two gunners; one crewman wounded. Aircraft BH+AT 60% damaged but repairable.
One of three pre-production Bv138A-0 flying boats engaged on this sortie, this aircraft had first flown the previous September as D-AFFE. Impressed into Luftwaffe service with a scratch crew drawn from E-Stelle (See) Travemünde it was later recovered and brought ashore at Stavanger. Reported damaged on 17 April in official German records. (Kröplin account via Goran)"

What we need help with now is the ID of the first names of FF [ ] Kröplin, FF Lt [ ] Dobberthein, and we can sew this up. We have located two photos of this aircraft on the dock at Stavanger-Sola.

Thanx for your assistance, and especially to Göran for working this one through. We still have not resolved the actual fates, or acquired usable photos of the He115s reported destroyed that day. Are they at the bottom of the harbor at the seaplane anchorage, or were they removed and salvaged by the Germans during the war? We've also located at least one photo of one of the burned out He59 Seaplanes. Still no luck on the 3./ZG76 Bf110 reported crashed on TO at the airfield.

Who has further info to help us document the events and losses that day?

[Andreas Brekken]

Hello, all

As far as I can see we have later Luftwaffe records for all the Heinkel He 115s reported destroyed this day, so the damage was possibly highly exaggerated or they were repaired.

I talked to Seaplanes about this today, and it is possible that he will post some details before I have time to do so.

Regards,
Andreas B

[robert]

Hi,

another report:
From XXI Gruppe 17.4.40 22.07 hrs:
at 05.00 hrs English naval forces shelled Stavanger. Seaplane airbase was damaged. 4 aircraft were destroyed [...]

Regards

Robert