2 Mar 1941 Any Luftwaffe casualty matching a AIR50 combat report.

[dp_burke]

I wonder if anyone can match this combat report from

P/O J M Crabb
RAF 3 Squadron
2nd March 1941 14:35 hours
over the sea 30 miles East of Sumburgh
Sector Serial number KW6
Claim: 1 Focke Wulf 200 damaged and rear gunner expected killed

Having come upon the FW200 P/O Crabb attacked and after experiencing heavy return fire, this fire abruptly stopped, leading him to believe he may have killed the gunner. Two further gun runs were made against the FW200 before ammo was expended.


If this was a Fw200 or other LW aircraft, can it be matched to a German casualty or a corresponding report of being attacked?

Cheers

Dennis

[Chris Goss]

I have-it force-landed back in Norway with a wounded met man. I can supply more if you want

[dp_burke]

Ah... You know I crave information.
I might actually have some sources that would ID it.

But, please share what you feel is appropriate.
Crew names and the aircraft ID.
I wonder if it is in the forum archives?


Cheers Chris

[gilles collaveri]

Matti once passed me this information which seems to match quite well:

2 March 1941
FW200 C3/U2 Wnr. 31
9/KG40 F8+BT
Fl.Pl. Stavanger-Sola
Notlandung infolge Feindbeschuß
Bruch 60%

Rgds

GC

[Chris Goss]

From my forthcoming book:


The months March to July 1941 would see a dramatic rise in Condor losses from both operational and non-operational causes. March 1941 would see two Condors being destroyed in accidents with the deaths of six crew including three pilots. It is also saw the first combat between mainland UK-based Fighter Command squadron and a Condor when two Hawker Hurricanes of 3 Sqn damaged a Condor off Sumburgh in the Shetland Islands on 2 March 1941 as the combat report of Plt Off Doug Robertson shows:

"...when flying over sea 30 miles east of Sumburgh, I sighted one Fw 200 flying only a few feet over the sea and at the same time heard Red 1 [Plt Off John Crabb] give the Tally Ho. I followed Red 1 into the attack flying astern and slightly above him. Immediately Red 1 broke from his first attack, I fired a three second burst from dead astern and observer tracer entering the fuselage of e/a. I broke away as Red 1 was delivering his starboard attack. I climbed to the right and delivered a diving beam attack from 200 feet above firing a one second burst. I had to break this attack as Red 1 was firing from the opposite beam. I then delivered another astern attack firing a six second burst from approximately 200 yds range again tracer seen to enter e/a. During all these attacks, I experienced no return fire..."

Although Doug Robertson reported no return fire, John Crabb did, stating it was heavy at first then abruptly stopped. The Fw 200 C-3 in question force-landed at Varhaug south of Stavanger; the only casualty was meteorologist Karl Schwalb who was injured.

[dp_burke]

Thats great guys, many thanks. i just wanted to know the result of the Combat and was it the result Crabb thought it was.

[Chris Goss]

BTW, it could not have been 9/KG 40 as III Gruppe was still flying He 111s until the end of the year. Wk Nr 0031 was later F8+BT and lost in an accident 31 Jul 42 whilst with IV/KG 40 having suffered a taxying accident on 13 Oct 41 and another on 29 May 42

[Matti Salonen]

In this case my info was based on Nowarra's book "Focke-Wulf Fw 200 Condor", where it can be found on page 140. Obviously unit and code are not correct. Also GQM doesn't indicate Gruppe, only KG 40.
GQM contains also a correction to the previous loss information. On 19 Dec 1941 it states that Schwalb was uninjured.

Matti

[Chris Goss]

Thanks Matti. It could only have been I/KG 40 as II/KG 40 was converting to Do 217s from He 111s and, as I said, III/KG 40 was still flying He 111s until the end of 1941/start of 1942

[Brian Bines]

There is a mention in the Wekusta book p166 that in Jan. 1941 the first Met Observers joined crews of I/KG40 (K.Gr.40 in GQM),showing Schwalb making a flight with Jope on 27th Jan. As Chris says 0031 would have been flown by a I/40 crew when this incident happened.