26 July 1940 - Ju 88 and Do 17P Losses

[Peter Cook]

I am trying to establish the identity of the Luftwaffe aircraft that were attacked in two separate incidents on 26 July 1940. In his combat report F/Sgt Franklin of 65 Squadron describes attacking a Ju 88 and a Bf 109 at 16.35 hours off Folkestone. However, Mason (Battle Over Britain) and Cull (Battle for the Channel) link Franklin's claim to a Do 17P of 5.(F)/122, which returned with minor combat damage. Curiously, Mason also links this combat to the damage inflicted on a Ju 88A of 3.(F)/121 '"Damaged by Spitfires of 65 Sqn., near Folkestone at 16.55 hrs. 10% damage. One crew member killed". Mason appears to be the only source that lists this 3.(F)/121 loss on 26 July.

The second combat took place at 17.18 when P/O Williams and P/O Hill of 92 Squadron claimed to have damaged a Ju 88 over Pembroke, but apart from the Ju 88A listed by Mason above, the only loss listing for a Ju 88 on this date that I can locate was Ju 88A-1 3131 3Z+AR of 7./KG 77, which crash landed after a domestic flight.

Can anyone help to clear up these contradictions?