Luftwaffe losses PQ18 September 1942

[Brian]

Hi guys

A bit of a long shot, I know, but has anyone a detailed list of Luftflotte V losses during the PQ18 convoy of mid-September 1942.

Quoting an old source (Peter C. Smith's 1975 book Artic Convoy), it was suggested that a total 44 Luftwaffe aircraft were lost, mainly from KG26 and KG30.

Fingers crossed and with bated breath, I await a response!!

Thanks in advance
Brian

[Bruce Lander]

Hi Brian,

the "Luftwaffe in Norway" website gives a very detailed list of losses for 1940 - 1945
also the "Nordic Aviation During WW2" website the same

Cheers

Bruce

[Brian Bines]

Hi Brian,

A quick look at Achtung Torpedos Los shows 62 aircrew killed or missing with 6 wounded from I & III/KG26 on the 13th, 14th and 18th Sept. Only looking on QM's list from mid Sept to mid Oct found 30 aircraft of KG26, and KG30 including 4x He115's of I/906 either missing, crashing or with aircrew killed or wounded on these dates.

Regards

Brian Bines

[robert]

Hi,

13.9.42
at about 16.00 hrs torpedo attack of I./KG26 - four He 111s were hit by naval flak and must be ditched. Two crews (He 111H-6 2./KG26 W.Nr.4727 and 1H+BK W.Nr.4535) were rescued by air sea rescue aircraft.
The crew of 1H+NK W.Nr.7567 was rescued by U-457. The crew of 1H+DH W.Nr.7076 was not found.
Next attack had been flown by 18 Ju 88s of III./KG26 - Ju 88A-4 W.Nr.142018 1H+KS was shot down by naval flak, crew posted MIA.
Two Ju 88s: W.Nr.2097 and 1536 were hit and damaged - they crashed on landing at Banak.
At 16.15 hrs the convoy had been attacked by 9 He 115s of K.Fl.Gr.406. One Sea Hurricane of 802 Sqn FAA was forced down by German air gunners.
At 20.35 hrs 12 He 115s of 1./906 arrived. He 115 W.Nr.2247 8L+FH was brought down by naval flak as first. Three MIA.
At 21.00 hrs Ju 88As of I./KG30 bombed the convoy. All returned but two from 3./KG30 collided on landing at Petsamo: W.Nr.1007 written off and W.Nr.2064 45%.

Regards

Robert

[robert]

Hi,

14.9.42
at about 12.40 hrs Sea Hurricanes were scrambled to intercept incoming raid of 20 Ju 88s of III./KG26. Three Ju 88s were indeed shot down by English fighters:
W.Nr.140083 1T+LT, W.Nr.004589 1T+FS, W.Nr.001774 1T+OT - totally 12 MIA
Further two Ju 88s were damaged by flak and one of them, W.Nr.140085, crashed on landing at Banak - pilot KIA and three INJ. The second plane returned with two WIA on board.
At 12.50 hrs the convoy had been attacked by I./KG30. A Ju 88 of staff section was hit by flak and gunner was killed.
Later 22 He 111s of I./KG26 arrived. Seven He 111s and 28 airmen were lost:
W.Nr.7229 1H+NH, W.Nr.7043 1H+HH, W.Nr.7381 1H+MH, W.Nr.4473 1H+AK, W.Nr. 7150 1H+ML, W.Nr.7232 1H+FL, W.Nr.4825 1H+GL
Further two were damaged: W.Nr.7157 1H+GH, W.Nr.4818 1H+NK but they made their back to the mainland and were both crash-landed. Other two damaged successfully landed back at Bardufos with 1 KIA and 2 WIA.
At 14.37 hrs 18 Ju 88s of III./KG30 appeared over the convoy. One Ju 88 was brought down by naval flak: W.Nr.142121 4D+GS - 4 MIA and another crashed on landing at Banak: W.Nr.881742 4D+KR - 1 KIA and 3 INJ.
Further losses were:
He 115 W.nr.2413 1./406 - three airmen were rescued by other seaplane
He 115 W.Nr.2407 8L+BH - 3 MIA
He 115 W.Nr.2099 8L+IH - crash-landed 20 km N of Nordkap
He 115 W.Nr.3253 8L+AH - also crash-landed

Robert

[Brian]

Wow! Thanks guys, specially Robert

I understand possibly four He111s were claimed on 18 September, including one by the Cam-ship Hurricane. Russian destroyers claimed a further five.

Soviet fighters claimed two Ju88s on 20 September

Any ideas?

Thanks again
Brian

[Brian Bines]

Hard to read but on the 20th Sept Ju88 wn 1422 crew missing believed due to fighter attack over ?????? (Weides?) Meer, and 2162 damaged in crash landing due to enemy action both from I/KG30.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi.

Got approx 60 aircraft damaged/lost for the dates 13. through 20. September for Luftflotte 5. Not all related to PQ18, but will post them later today.

Regards,
Andreas B

[robert]

15.9.42
12.45-15.35 hrs some single Ju 88s were attacking the convoy.
18.9.40
At 10.30 hrs the convoy was attacked by 8 He 111s of I./KG26 and some Ju 88s of III./KG30. At 11.30 hrs the second group of He 111s attacked the convoy.
At 14.50 hrs the convoy was attacked by Ju 88s of KG30. Part of this formation was not able to locate the convoy and they bombed two Soviet mine-sweepers: T-883 and T-887.
The German reported following losses:
He 111H-6 W.nr.7168 1H+GH - 4 MIA
Ju 88A-4 W.Nr.142130 4D+GN - 4 MIA
Two Ju 88s of III./KG26 - W.Nr.1562 and 6559 - were damaged by flak and crash-landed at Banak. The former was damaged in 30% and all four crewmembers were injured. The latter was damaged in 70% and one airman was KIA.
The units of LF5 had flown 337 sorties against PQ18.

Regards

Robert

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Brian, here is a list that may be useful:
http://www.luftwaffe.no/SIG/Losses/tap422.html

Roberts, thanks for the details of the air battle

The link below will give you some more about the U-Boote side of the battle (sadly almost nothing on the air battle)
http://www.uboat.net/ops/convoys/con...p?convoy=PQ-18

And some reports of the escort (reporting ships sunk and hit, and some aircraft falling)
http://www.halcyon-class.co.uk/arctic/pq18.htm