Maj Dietrich Puttfarken, KG51, Lost 23.04.44.

[Mike H]

Originally Posted by Nick Beale

I wouldn't rely on that profile. I think you will find that in II./KG 51 only the individual aircraft letter was full size. There's a photo of 9K+CP in Classic Colours' Kampfflieger Vol.4 showing that form of marking (later adopted on KG 51's Me 262s).

National Archives AIR40/207 contains a report on an Me 410 crashed at Manor Farm, Frankton near Rugby after collision with an Airspeed Oxford: 9K+Z? — Z in black with yellow outline. 42 on base of fin in black; below this on fuselage 750 in black on white ground.

Camouflage: blue-grey on upper surfaces and light grey undersides (spray painted). Carried two external 300 litre tanks. Armament: 4 x MG 151 cannon (two of which in the bomb bay); 2 x MG 17; 2 x MG 131.

[This was Wenning and Delp's machine].

Hi Nick,
I wondered if any luftwaffe combat details exist for Lt Wolfgang Wenning's claim for a Halifax 25/4/44?

25/4/44 II/KG51 Halifax 20km NE Cambridge: 1000 m. 0422

I believe this to be Halifax LK789 of 76 Squadron that was attacked over Ely,Cambridgshire sent down at 0420 near Welney,Norfolk.

The only other claim by KG51 that night is:-
Uffz Bair 6/KG51 Halifax 1357 /05 Ost: no height (England) 0358.
However I suspect this to be Lancaster DV177 of 626 Squadron, shot down close to Boxted airfield at 0410.


Mike.

[Chris Goss]

Gentlemen: I have not had a chance to answer much of this but can say that II/KG 51 were initially based at Vitry and did move around but according to a logbook copy I have, operated from Eindhoven for much of their ops in Apr 44. Would agree that 25 Apr 44 kill was the 76 Sqn ac; the other one was probable the 626 sqn loss. As to the Albermarle loss on 23 Apr, it matches well with Uffz walter Bruegel's claim of a Halifax-it would appear that he was out on a second sortie that night. Finally, I wrote last year to Puttfarken's widow but I am afraid no reply/wish to reply

[Nick Beale]

II./KG 51 did know what they were meant to pursue on the night 25/26 July 1944, according to the attached decrypt. They clearly had information on the progress of the returning Allied formations.

PS: sorry about the photographic quality.

[George Hopp]

So the question becomes: Did the intruders know about returning Allied forces earlier than Jul 44? Remember it was not a favourite form of attack by Hitler, so it might not have been getting appropriate target information until the success of the attack of 22/23 Apr 44.