I./KG 40

[mjbollinger]

one clarification...

I've also read (only on the web -- no documentation) that II./KG 40 "lost half of its 26 aircraft" during the first ten days of the battle at Normandy. Well, that foots exactly to the bottom up numbers in which 13 aircraft were lost in the first 10 days, with four more later in July. Maybe that explains it.

I'd still like a reference to the original source about half of the 26 aircraft being lost

[Brian Bines]

The new Smith/Creek He177 book also while talking about the 6/7th June shows 456 Sqd. making four claims and identifies four 177's. It also says ' During the operation II/KG40 reported the loss of 13 of its 26 He177's '' Perhaps II/KG40 reported the loss of 13 aircraft in operations against the Beach-head i.e. June to July and at some time this has been taken as referring to the first operation only. NVM's support the loss/damage to 27 aircraft from I & II/KG40 from 6th June to 5th July at least 2 more were lost with crew safe, and the RAF claimed 19 He177's shot down. If II/KG40 loss a further 17 aircraft in the first 2 nights there would have been some crewmen lost, are there any records of He177's being lost while standing on airfields which might increase the total of their aircraft lost.

[Juha]

Hello
http://www.ww2.dk/oob/bestand/kampf/biikg40.html shows that II/KG 40 lost 23 He 177s in June, and I/KG 40 page shows that it lost 14, because of enemy actions, IIRC numbers incl both destroyed and those so badly damaged that they were removed from books of the unit.

Juha