Unclaimed Ju88 losses in the Battle of Britain
In the Battle of Britain, pilots of the Special Duty Flight at RAF Christchurch, Hampshire attacked and shot down at least two Luftwaffe aircraft. The victories were confirmed but have never been matched to Luftwaffe losses possibly as the SDF was not in Fighter Command. On 2nd September a Do215 (Ju88) was confirmed as shot down in to the sea ten miles SW of the Needles, IOW by Sqn Ldr PE Meagher in Hurricane L1562. Could this have been the Ju88 F6+DK of 2(F)122 lost without trace that day? Then on 19th September 1940 F/Lt DL Rayment, again in Hurricane L1562, shot down a lone Ju88 which crashed in to the sea ten miles south of St. Catherine’s Point, IOW. Perhaps this was a Ju88 aircraft from either I/KG51 or I/KGr 806, as both units lost an aircraft without trace the same day. (Previously F/Lt Douglas L Rayment had badly damaged a Ju88 over Blanford on 12th September 1940, while flying Blenheim Mk IVF, P4832 but this was only claimed as damaged)
Can anyone provide details of the operations these missing Ju88's were flying and whether their missions took them anywhere near the Isle of Wight on 2nd & 19th September 1940
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Larry Hayward
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