Action 26 Sept 1939

[Brian]

Hi guys

Please help a confused old man!!

During naval ops in the North Sea on 26 September 1939 when Ark Royal was attacked by He111s and Ju88s, Do18s had been keeping an eye on the British force. One of these was shot down by Skuas and the crew of M7+YK of 2/FuFlGr.506 was captured.

A second flying boat was later claimed as damaged by another Skua pilot, who believed that he had 'riddled' the machine but it escaped. A report later implied that a flying boat had alighted off the Dutch coast with engine damage and a wounded crewman.

I have found reference to a He59 M2+JK from 3/KuFlGr.106, which had apparently also been involved in maritime reconnaissance of British warships on this date, alighting on the sea in Quadrant 4175 with 'engine and radio problems'. Could this have been the Skua's victim? Or was this aircraft involved on a different mission?

Should there be an account of this day's events from the German side, I would appreciate details of same. I'm sure one of our experts has the answer!

Cheers
Brian

[Stig Jarlevik]

Brian
This topic has been up on these pages before, and I even think you were the one...

I have nothing to add, except that previously the code for the captured Do 18 was stated as K6+YK! However checking K6 and M7 none of these prefixes fits Kü.Fl.Gr.506 which had S4 K6 was Kü.Fl.Gr.306 and M7 was Kü.Fl.Gr.806. That said I also notice the shovelling around of their various staffeln between each other in all these naval units and I find it more or less a miracle that anyone in end knew to which unit he belonged...

Cheers
Stig

[Brian]

Hi Stig

Yes, I'm sure I have mentioned this action previously - but my 'new' information (to me, at least) concerns the He59 of 2/106, M2-JK. Was this the Skua's second claim?

The Do18 was M7+YK - so it was KuFlGr.806 and not 506? Thanks for that.

Cheers
Brian

[Brian]

Seaplanes - where are you?

Can you help/clarify?

Cheers
Brian

[crolick]

Brian,

I have only:
He.59D M2+JK (W.Nr. 1975) destroyed when blown off the slipway during a storm at Norderney. No casualties


Have a nice day!
Andrzej

[Seaplanes]

On 26.09.39 the Do 18D-3 W.Nr. 731 M7+YK of 2./506 (This unit used M7+ until redesignated 1./406 on 25.10.39. The new Gruppe 506 used S4+ from then on) was shot down by a Skua of No. 803 Sq. HMS "Ark Royal". The Dornier made a forced landing at sea but was later sunk by fire from other British warships. The crew was rescued by HMS "Somali" and taken POW.

The He 59 reported lost the same date was, as stated by Crolik, 100% damaged when blown off the slipway at Norderney during a storm. The plane was He 59D W.Nr. 1975 of 3./106. The unit code of M2+JK is probably not correct as all third Staffel aircraft used the Staffel-letter "L" and not "K". The Küstenfliegergruppe 106 was the only unit that survived the re-shuffeling of nearly all Küstenflieger units on 25.10.39 and continued to use the unit code M2+.