A Heinkel He177 to identify!

[franck]

Hello,
I work in archaeology and have also a great interest for aviation history, particularly for the WWII era in the M.T.O., and of course on Corsica, where I live.
I recently read that on 23 and 24 of January 1944, II/KG40 from Bordeaux Mérignac lost two HE177 off Corsica*, returning from a guided missile attacks on Anzio beachead.
I think I found the remains of one of these many years ago in an olive grove on the North West coast of Corsica where some little parts are still buried or lying on the soil. Three of these remains indicated the aircraft type: Daimler Benz DB610 exhaust pipes – a cast aluminium structural part with R8-177.104-34?3 – a plate with HK177 + part number.
My question is:
How could I have some accurate information about II/KG 40 losses during that raid ? To complete the identification work I need the serial/code of the aircrafts, and the crew names!

Perhaps someone can help me in this way?

Thank you Franck

*both shooted down by U.S. Beaufighters from 414th or 417th NFS based at Ghisonaccia (Corsica) at that period

[Brian Bines]

Hi Franck,
A He 177 of 4/KG40 was reported shot down off Cape Corso at around 1750 hrs on Jan 23rd. 1944.
It is beleived that wreckage found by French Authorites at the time near Urtaca Corsica may have come from this aircraft. Crew details are:-
Ff. Oblt. Georg Dietrich - baled out POW
B Uffz. Walter Schmidt - baled out POW
BF SFw. Franz Hummel - baled out POW
Bm. Ogef. Rolf Braumuller - baled out POW "
Bs. Uffz, Alois Hupf - baled out POW
Bs. Ogef. Hubert Nemec - missing

I think the aircraft code was F8+AM,
Regards
Brian Bines

[franck]

Hi Brian
Apparently you allow us the total identification of that AC and his crew. The accurate information you provide come to complete the testimonies I heard fifteen years ago from era witnesses.

My last question on that subject is :
- what are the publications available on IIKG40 operations?

Thanks again.
Sincerely Franck

[Brian Bines]

HI Again Franck,
I do not know of any publications covering II/KG 40 operations in detail, Manfred Giehl and Joachim Dressel bourght out the book 'He 177-277-274' (ISBN 3-613-01299-5) and there has been some booklets on the He 177.
I have copies of the Luftwaffe loss returns for II/KG 40 in this period plus some RAF interrogation reports from captured He 177 crewmen. E-Mail me through the Members List for more details if it would help your research on this,
Regards
Brian