Ju-88 werknumber 710575

[brommer66]

Originally Posted by Alain57

Hello ,
F/L Leboutte Lucien ( Belgian ) and F/O Mallet Ron S "Joe" 141 squadron shot down Ju-88 G-1 werknumber 710575 from 6./NJG 2 on may 12 1944 near Mechelen in Belgium. It seems that the crew bailed out :
Simonsohn Wilhelm – Franz ? – Günther ?
Is there someone who has additional info on the on the german crew ?

Hi Alain
I signed up with this forum today, and found this post from a little over 2 years ago to the date. I don't know if you still need the info on Willi Simonsohn's crew, but I could get you some more information. I know Willi Simonsohn personally and we have had many a discussion about what happened on that night of 11-12 May 1944 over Belgium. I must look it up though and will get back with you this weekend. Out of memory the first names of the other crewmembers appear to be correct, but I can add the last names as well.
Greets
Jos

[Alain57]

Hello ,

Thank you every info is still very welcome.

Regards
Alain57

[RT]

Hello Jos,

Could you share with us what said about this event Willi Simonssohn ???

Seems the plane landed a bit rudely at Rothwesten , the BM Uffz Franz Holzer was wounded

Rémi

[brommer66]

Ok Alain

A bit later than promised but here we go:

As already mentioned by Rémi (see above post) the full name of the boardmechanic (Bord Mechaniker) was Franz Holzer.

The radiooperator/reargunner (Bordfunker/Schuetze) was Guenter Gottwick.

They all got out of the Ju-88 after the aircraft was hit in the left engine by a Mosquito of 141 squadron, who approached the Ju-88 on the left and slightly below to reduce being hit by debris from the disintegrating A/C (standard procedure)

All got out of the stricken aircraft, Franz Holzer first, as Willi Simonsohn told him to open the hatch in the bottom of the A/C being closest to it. Guenter Gottwick followed almost immediately, but Willi himself had a lot more problems as the A/C started to go in a spin and centrifugal forces prevented him to reach the open hatch or even to grab the stick in an attempt to pull the A/C out of its dive. Willi lost sight of his crewmembers and landed, as he believes, near Mechelen, some 25 Km NNE of Bruxelles.

Originally Posted by RT

Hello Jos,
Could you share with us what said about this event Willi Simonssohn ???
Seems the plane landed a bit rudely at Rothwesten , the BM Uffz Franz Holzer was wounded
Rémi

Hello Rémi

See above, a short version of the most hazardous part of Willi's flying career. I have more information, also about several of his 'rough' landings but this will have to wait till the weekend as I am on the road during the week.
In addition Willi just recently told me that he finished writing his memoirs (at 91!), and the book will be published later this year. I will notify you and the others on this forum about the publish date as soon as I know it.
Greets to all
Jos