3./KGr.zbV 9

[Jaap Woortman]

I have followed this discussion with great interest.
Is this than the end of the discussion? I can hardly believe it.
Are we sure that the plane mentioned in Scitivaux's combat report was a Junkers Ju 52?

IMHO we are not, at least I am not. What do we know.
Scitivaux was flying at May 10th, 1940 after 10 o’clock (French time) along the Dutch coast till IJmuiden.
In the area near IJmuiden he claimed a “large German three-engined plane looking like an Arado”.
This plane has been identified by someone, identity unknown to me, as an Junkers Ju 52/3m and even more
surprising was from 3./KGzbV 9. But was it a Ju 52/3m?
This question has been raised by Stig Jarlevik earlier in the discussion.

I am sure that Scitivaux was familiar with the Ju 52/3m. This type was a well-known German transport aircraft
flying all over the world before WWII. He did not recognize his victim near IJmuiden as a Ju 52/3m and did not
mention it in his report. No, he mentioned an large Arado-type of aircraft.
In the Wehrmacht was only one aircraft type from the Arado company operational and that was the
Arado Ar 196. A single-engined float-plane. When Scitivaux saw his victim he must have seen a large
multi-engined float-plane and that can only be an Heinkel He 115. The wingspan of the He 115 is 22.28 m. and
of the Ar 196 12.40 m. So the He 115 was indeed a large Arado-type of aircraft.

Next question is: is it possible that Scitivaux saw a Heinkel He 115? Yes, it was. The Heinkel He 115 was operating in
minelaying operations along the Dutch coast at May 10th in the Küstenfliegerstaffeln of 9. Fliegerdivision.

And what about the three engines you will say. Well, have you ever been under fire of two 7.92 mm machineguns?
Aircraft recognition is, when you are under fire, not that reliable! Maybe he saw the big nose of the plane as an engine?

Were there any losses during May 10th in these Küstenfliegerstaffeln? Yes there were. 3./506 Lost one He 115 with
the crew of Lt. Erwin Dirking during this day near the coastal line south of The Hague in the Netherlands.
But it is also possible that Scitivaux's victim was able to come home safely.
Maybe the KTB’s of these Küstenfliegerstaffeln can bring more information about the operations and incidents on this day.
I have no access to these KTB’s.

These are some thoughts for an alternative for the Ju 52/3m,

Jaap Woortman
Member of the ‘the Dutch Group in question’ and
researching the German aircraft losses over the
Netherlands during May 1940.