Sd.Fhr Flasch ? I/KG40 April 1940

[Matti Salonen]

Peter is right, that more digging is necessary. I did some by re-checking the NVMs and other availabe documents and now it seems, that my previous info is not correct.

This is, what WASt has:
NVM Nr. 2 (20.4.-28.4.40) of I/K.G. 40 reports 5 MIA and reason "Vom Feindflug nicht zurückgekehrt. Keine mutmaßungen über Gründe".
NVM Nr. 11 (22.4.40) of K.Fl.Gr.106, reports 3 POW and reason "Sonderauftrag. Limingensee östlich Namsos".
NVM Nr.5 (31.3.-22.4.40) of Lw.Kr.Ber.Komp.1 reports Sdfhr Plazek MIA and reason "Von einem Aufklärungsflug nach Namsos/Norwegen nicht zurückgekehrt".

Now, for me it seems quite clear, that both Fw 200 and He 115 were lost roughly at the same geographical area, Namsos (which made possible to mix information) and GQM info for Plazek is correct. There is no Sdfhr Flasch in Kr.Ber.Komp.1 and the only loss of that unit in 22.4.1940 is Plazek (he is not POW, but is still MIA). Also, if you look at that bad GQM text (Flasch), it can also be red (as some of you have already done) Plazek (similar forms of the letters: P versus F, z versus s, e versus c and k versus h).

I apologize, that I have drawn too hastilly a conclusion, that Plazek was in He 115, which now seems quite improbable.
Otherwise, based on above written, all could be logical now. Only one thing is still unclear: who was the Bs in He 115 and what happened to him (my guess is, that he made it back to his unit, because NVM doesn't mention him).

Hopefully someone has more/better info or could confirm this case.

Matti

[Brian Bines]

Matti, thanks for all your work on this,

Much appreciated,

Brian Bines

[flyvrak]

Hi
Me too, took a closer look into the Limingen entry on my flyvrak homepage.
According to vitness reports there were only three airmen on board. Seems like I have to delete Plazek.

Crew names according to a article by Mr.Blom-Pettersen:
Oberleutnant Rudolf Schrader, FF
Leutnant Siegfrid Schultz, beobachter
Unteroffizier Erik Günther, bordfunker.

Article in Swedish newspaper "Dagens Nyheter" also says three men. One "marineløytnant", one "underofficer" og en "flygerløytnant"

Attached a picture from the paper, showing two of the crew. The man in the middle is a Norwegian.

regards Kjell

[Matti Salonen]

The three names Kjell mentions are also mentioned in NVM. So, concerning them everything is OK. However, the problem is, that GQM report says: "Notlandung. Flugzeug von besatzung verbrannt. Besatzung versucht Heimkehr in Fußmarsch. (Oblt. Schreder, Ltn Schulz und 2 Mann)". If this is correct, information on one man is still missing. Maybe Marine documents could reveal something?

Matti