Loss of Ju 88A-4 Wnr.881398 on 16.02.1943

[edNorth]

"Luftwaffe in focus" No. 6, page 25, has 1398 not as Ju 88, but Ju 87
(in relation to its loss) but besides the Ju 88 A-4 "1398" was only 50% damaged, but can be wrong number reported.

1398 Ju 88 P-1 Versuchskommando für Panzerbekämpfung (Lw.Kdo.Öst East)
OPS (F) was shot down by <enemy> tank fire (100%) at Woterfitz-See 19.04.1943 (crew uninjured) (reported as Ju 88 P1 1398 in GQM Verband losses 177.) 23.04.43

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Ed

If I read Axel Urbanke correct, he believes the aircraft which collided with WNr 3527 to have been the 'genuine' Ju 88A-4 WNr 1398.

He also believes that the aircraft which was destroyed from the Versuchskommando für Panzerbekämpfung to have been a Ju 87 (G perhaps?) WNr (87)1398. He thinks there is some kind of clerical mistake behind all this.

That thinking clearly contradicts both Peter and Gogh's thoughts. What exactly does the loss record state? Just Ju 88 or more detailed Ju 88 P-1? I can imagine a typing error if the loss only states Ju 88 but if the loss record says Ju 88 P-1 it is no longer a typo, it is a complete misunderstanding of what had happened, which is much more difficult to do, but not impossible of course.

Since Peter (I think) is quite interested especially in these experimental versions, I wonder what he in fact has regarding the Ju 88 P-1? Sometimes when studying a topic intensely there can be a feeling what is correct and what is not, without any real written proof!

Interesting topic....

Cheers
Stig

[Peter Achs]

You can be shure that this was an Ju 88 P-1 with W-Nr. 1398.
See the attached pages of 2 FB's. One gives the aircraft as 1398 and the other as CI+WP and P-1. (1398 had the Stkz CI+WP ).

The document "Erprobungsträger PAK 40" from 22 April 1943 (source: BA/MA Freiburg RL 36/65) gives this Ju 88 with s/n and Stkz as an (former) aircraft of the "Versuchskommando für Panzerbekämpfung". (Have no copy, only notes.)

The GQM entry for Ju 88 1398 from 1943 must be wrong. I think the entry from 1942 is right.
23.01.42, K.Fl.Gr.606, 40% (BA/MA Freiburg, RL 2 III/1179)

Regards
Peter

[Stig Jarlevik]

Thanks Peter

Appreciate your time and expertice
Looks like we can scrap Axel Urbanke's theory then....

Out of curiosity (one of the most common clerical errors I believe is to swap digits), is anything known about WNr 3198? If you say that one went to KG 51, then just maybe....

Cheers
Stig

PS: Thanks to you as well Merlin. We must have written our replies basically at the same time.