Karl/Adolf FRANCKE KG30 1939

[Brian Bines]

In Cajus Bekkers 'The Luftwaffe War Diaries' he is described as Corporal Carl Francke who had been a certified engineer and aircraft technician at Rechlin. In 1937 at Zurich he and Udet had demonstrated the Bf 109. It continues that just before the War he had vounteered to join the test team headed by his friend Hpt. Pohle rather than stay at Rechlin. Apparantly Francke dropped two bombs on the Ark Royal but did not observe a definite hit and did not claim it sunk. However because Luftwaffe Recon. could not later find the Ark Royal it was announced the Carrier had been sunk which caused Francke a lot of embarrasment. According to Bekkers book Goering bumped into Francke months later at Rechlin and said ' You owe me an aircraft carrier'.
I read somewhere else that Francke was decorated and promoted to Ltn. over the incident but cant remember which book,

Regards
Brian Bines