Oblt ??? of ZG26 Battle of Britain

[Larry Hickey]

Brian,

Thanks, with this info and the photos sent by udf, this makes a likely candidate for a color profile for SNFlKdo 3 for the August, 1940 period. Obviously still lacking the exact date and info on the crew picked up/plane shot down.

I now have the translation of the SNFlKdo 2 KTB entries for 25-26.09.40 and, although there are several flights and alerts for rescue activities by the unit's He59s, there is no indication of the pick up of a downed Bf110 crew. It does not appear that the unit's aircraft rescued any downed pilots in the channel that day. In re-reading the loss incident:

"Sept. 25, 1940: III./ZG26 Messerschmitt Bf110C-4 (3263). Crashed in the Channel during combat with RAF fighters south of Weymouth during escort sortie for KG55 attack on Filton 12.00 p.m. Crew rescued unhurt by Seenotdienst. Aircraft 100% write-off."

it doesn't actually say that the crew was picked up by an aircraft, but simply "Seenotdienst." That could also mean by a patrol boat or other unit asset besides an He59. Although this doesn't absolutely preclude an He59 rescue by another unit, I think that event is now quite unlikely. This satisfies me that the Sept. 25th incident in NOT the same story as the "Oblt." down in the van Ishoven story, leaving us with an unrecorded or inaccurately reported 1 or 3./ZG26 Bf110 loss for the August, 1940, period.

As we get the available KTBs for channel activity on Sept. 25th, we'll keep an eye out for the possibility that one of the other SNFlKdo units was involved in a Bf110 crew pick up that day.

Regards,