AR196s aboard German Raider PINGUIN

[Brian]

Hi guys

Can anyone provide information about the two Ar196s carried by the German raider Pinguin in 1940/41? I believe one was lost in a take-off crash in September 1940 - identity and fate of crew? The Pinguin was sunk by the cruiser HMS Cornwall in May 1941, presumably with the loss of the other Ar196 and her crew.

Any help appreciated.
Cheers
Brian

[Seaplanes]

According to my information, three aircraft were lost when HSK 5 (Schiff 33) "Pinguin" was lost on 8 May 1941:
Ar 196A-1 W.Nr. 0020, He 114B W.Nr. 2551 and 2553, all three belonged to Bordfliegerstaffel 5./196. I have no information related to the crew(s).

[Brian]

Hi Seaplanes - I was hoping you would respond!

Is it likely that Pinguin was initially equipped with the two He114s and that it was one of these that crashed in September 1940, to be replaced by the Ar196? One assumes that both the He114 and Ar196 were able to utilise the same launching facility.

Another point of interest - the German raider Orion took on board a Japanese 'Nakajima 90-11' seaplane sometime in April 1941, this having been acquired in Japan by the German vessel Ermland. Apparently the German aircrew considered it to be superior to the Ar196, but it was lost in a take-off crash in May/June/July 1941 off Madagascar. Any further details available?

Cheers
Brian

[Leendert]

Brian,

According this website http://www.bismarck-class.dk/hilfskreuzer/orion.html
the Nakajima was lost on 26 May 1941. Take-off failed, plane capsized, crew were picked up.

Regards,

Leendert

[ju55dk]

Originally Posted by Brian

Hi Seaplanes - I was hoping you would respond!

Is it likely that Pinguin was initially equipped with the two He114s and that it was one of these that crashed in September 1940, to be replaced by the Ar196? One assumes that both the He114 and Ar196 were able to utilise the same launching facility.

Another point of interest - the German raider Orion took on board a Japanese 'Nakajima 90-11' seaplane sometime in April 1941, this having been acquired in Japan by the German vessel Ermland. Apparently the German aircrew considered it to be superior to the Ar196, but it was lost in a take-off crash in May/June/July 1941 off Madagascar. Any further details available?

Cheers
Brian

Pinguin was in fact issued with 2 He 114 B. One was stored in crates and had to be assembeled when the first He 114 was damaged beyond repair 05-09-1940. On the 14.03.41 it got a Ar 196 from Alstertor! Crew on the whole voyage was Oblt. z. See Müller (B) and Uffz Werner (F). Both killed 8. of may 1941!

Junker

[Brian]

Thanks Leendert and Junker - excellent response. Very much appreciated.

Do we know the first names of Oblt z.See Muller and Fw Wagner lost when the Pinguin was sunk?

Cheers
Brian

[ju55dk]

Originally Posted by Brian

Thanks Leendert and Junker - excellent response. Very much appreciated.

Do we know the first names of Oblt z.See Muller and Fw Wagner lost when the Pinguin was sunk?

Cheers
Brian

First name of Müller was Walter. I do not have Wagner's first name.

Junker

[Graham Boak]

It seems very unlikely that the Type 90 was thought superior to the Arado - possibly to the Heinkel which does not seem to have been a successful type.

This transfer has been talked about from the Japanese side. The Japanese were highly impressed with the engineering standard of the Arado, in particular with the interchangeability of the floats. Fitting new floats was a simple matter of fitting a few bolts, whereas the equivalent on a Japanese type would have taken much longer and required considerably more fettling.

[Hans Mcilveen]

Brian,

I believe the names of the Pinguin flight crew members are:

Observer: Oberleutnant zur See Walter Müller [KIA]
Pilot: Unteroffizier Hans Werner [POW]
Mechanics: Oberfeldwebel Ferdinand Hüttenmeister [KIA], Obergefreiter Hermann Bader [KIA], Gefreiter Heinrich Lein [?] [fate unknown], and Gefreiter Heinz Radden [POW].

Sources: Luftwaffe loss records for Pinguin, http://www.volksbund.de, and http://www.ubootwaffe.net/crews/crews.cgi.

Graham,

there are some scans of the original Orion Flugtagebuch on this page http://forum-marinearchiv.de/smf/ind....msg87106.html with a very interesting comparison between the Arado and the Japanese floatplane.

Hans

[Brian]

Many thanks Junker, Graham and Hans - your help much appreciated.

Cheers
Brian