Sunderland W3982 shot down 21 August 1941

[Roundway]

Sunderland W3982 of 201 Squadron was attacked and shot down at about 1630 on 21 August 1941, near 60*30'N 02*50'W. The squadron code was V/201.

I'd be grateful for any information about this loss as seen by the Luftwaffe.

[John Manrho]

Lt. Karpf of 3./KFl.Gr.406 claimed a Sunderland at 17.25 hrs at Pl.Q.34 65/16 West at an height of 50-100 mtrs.

[Roundway]

Thank you for your quick and useful reply, John. Could you translate the position into latitude and longitude, please? And would I be correct in believing Lt. Karpf was flying a Do18?

[John Manrho]

Concerning the coordinates, there is a website somewhere who recalculates this to latitude/longitude. Not my ball game.... it was Lt. Fritz Karpf who was killed himself on 21.01.1942. I think they flew a Do 18 on 21.08.1941....just a little bit to early for a Bv138 I would say....

Cheers,

John

[Brian]

Hi Roundway

Have you seen my similar enquiry regarding W3982 on RAF Commands Forum?
Was this the mystery ice-encased Sunderland found drifting almost a year later?
The claimant incidentally was Ltn.z.S. Fritz Karpf and I understand his unit was 4./KuFlGr.406 flying from Banak. But at this stage, like you, I'm not sure if he was flying a Do18 or He115.

Hopefully John will advise us!

Cheers
Brian

[Roundway]

Yes, Brian, I thought I'd ask here since you were wondering which aircraft attacked the Sunderland. I was going to post John's reply there.

[focusfocus]

according to a french magazine,he was shot down by a dornier DO 18 G of the 3./KuFLGr

regards

[Roundway]

Thank you focusfocus.

I've still not been able to decipher the position code other than the large basic area lay between 59 and 64 N, 00 to 10 W.

I believe 3./KFl.Gr.406 was based at Schellingwoude, a Dutch seaplane base (52°22'22"N 004°57'57"E), so the Do 18 was a long way from home.

[Denniss]

http://www.ww2.dk/air/seefl/kflgr406.htm
Lists the 3./406 as equipped with Do 18 and based at Trondheim in 8/41

[edNorth]

3./KuflGr 406 was at Trondheim (Norway) in this period.
Loss was in area North West of Shetland.

(www.ww2.dk) http://www.ww2.dk/air/seefl/kflgr406.htm

http://ww2talk.com/index.php?threads...08-1941.21913/

Personal note, a Short Sunderland is massive aeroplane, sitting on the flight deck "sailing under power" in Sandringham G-BJHS (Sunderland MK.V version)
- the last airworthy one - stays firm in my memory.