Luftwaffe GQM loss list experiences

[Boris Ciglic]

"Ju 88 4N+EH is in the Genst.Gen.Qu.Abt loss list with a date of 4.7.41. The Do 17E of GKFS.5 would be in "Tägliche Verlustmeldung Schulen usw." There is not enough information to tell about the other examples you have listed."

Ju 88 - well, speaking about a human factor! I obviously missed it!
Do 17E of GKFS.5 - I lost few days on microfiche trying to find that exact aircraft but I didn't. I have a war diary of Croat unit whose pilots were there at training at the time and the event is described in detail. I dont believe plane which force-landed in water with undercarriage up could have been damaged less than 10% and thus not reported.
Do 17Z on 6 April 41 - I have a photo of cras-landed aircraft with Yugoslav soldiers guarding it in sunny day. The next sunny day in Balkanfeldzug was on 13 April and by then KG 2 and KG 3 were already operating over Greece.
Fi 156 and Fw 58 - both aircraft belonged to Fl.Ber.Kdo.Serbien and source of information is NAW T-501/Reel 246.

"You might note that occasionally corrections were made to the "Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden" originating from Genst.Gen.Qu.Abt. etc., days and even weeks after the original entry. So, look at later entries, and you might see a change of all manner of data, including the date of the incident."

I'm quite aware of that. A good example could be Lt. Willi Kothmann: on 8 April 41 he was reported missing over Yugoslavia in Bf 109E on 6 April 41; on 11 April 41 it was reported that he was actually wounded; on 11.2.42. it was reported he actually returned to base without any injuries or damage to plane!?

"First, there are two major loss lists. The combat unit loss KG, JG, ZG, etc. are in "Flugzeugunfälle und Verluste bei den Verbänden" originating from Genst.Gen.Qu.Abt. etc. The other major list is the "Tägliche Verlustmeldung Schulen usw." which cover school units and a wide variety, literally hundreds of non-combat LW aircraft operators."

I am well aware of all of this, indeed I bought both sets of these documents on microfiche few years ago and spent months in going through them.

"In addition to the major lists, there are lower level lists from individual units or at a luftflotte level or reports from salvage units of aircraft recovered. If all these are put together the loss information, even for 1944 can probably be constructed pretty well, although it certainly would be nice to find it all in one place."

I agree completely, its just the question how complete major lists are. There were some quite tough debates here and I got the impression that secondary sources have been ignored or missed completely on many ocassions.