Bf 110 J8+BL crash

[mimithem]

Hello friends. I have a question regarding a crash on the southern part of Corfu island, Greece. The airplane was Bf 110 G-3 WNr5383 J8+BL of 3.NAGr2, said to have crashed on 09/05/1944. Crew was Uffz. Marcus Gerhard, Oblt. Herbert Kuckuck and Uffz. Erwin Amberg. All killed.

The question is does anybody know the cause of this crash? It is so weird, as on May 1944 there were no italian army on the island of Corfu, thus no enemy action (at least AA fire or dogfight?). Mechanical problem would give time to crew to bail out. Probably the date is wrong? Any ideas?

Thank you in advance.

Themis

[RT]

Flak Beschuss !! possibly friendly fire ??

Rémi

[mimithem]

Thanks Remi! Friendly fire or ship AA guns? Who knows...

[mimithem]

Hi again friends! Regarding the above crash, I have two questions:
1) This was a three-crewmen mission as it seems by the loss list. Was it common for reconnaissance missions to be taken out by three men on the 110's?
2) The names of Kuckuck and Amberg are correct? I can only find the pilot's death card and no one else's. Is it common that death cards may have been lost or not even filled?

Thank you in advance.

Themis

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by mimithem

Is it common that death cards may have been lost or not even filled?

Thank you in advance.

Themis

Fold3.com has 2.1 million cards and there were over 4 million German dead and missing in the Second World War alone, so a lot of the cards must be missing. I’ve had same problem where I couldn’t find cards for all of a crew.

[mimithem]

Hello, the aircraft crash has been located in southern Corfu island, 3 weeks ago. Debris have been found. Among them a dataplate of some part (not the aircraft itself), a 7,92mm bullet from the front guns (4xM17?) which was fired and we have way to go as there are plenty of pieces around. Eyewitness of the area refered to friendly AA coming from the southern corner of the island, which agrees with the statement written above in this thread. Did they think it was any kind of Beaufighter or something coming from the east? Maybe... The gunner had an excelent aim anyway. Anyone who may help with the exact subtype of the aircraft? I found somewhere (and I cannot remember where) that the Rüstsätze of this one was R6, which is a combination of R3/U9. Of course the 108mm MK Kanone was never placed on this birds, maybe only the nitro booster aand the MG 81Z rear machinegun. Can some help on this?

Additionally, do we know anything about the camo colours of this unit (3.NAGr2) flying from Greece in 1943/1944? I have tried to located any kind of relative photo but without result. Any help is welcome.

Thank you in advance,

Themis