III/KG26 15-16 Aug 1940 Aircraft Code and WkNr

[BoiseBlade]

Hello I am brand new to this forum which I have run acrossed over the last few days. If this info is already posted I apologize but I did not find it.

I have found information on the Aviation Safety Network and a couple of other sites that show the following Losses for III/KG26 on 15-16 Aug 1940. Does anyone have any further information on what the WkNr of these craft would be or what other aircraft in the Staffel (A, B, C etc) they might be?

Also is the information below accurate?

HE111 H-4
8/KG26
(1H+FS), The aircraft is thought to have been shot down by Spitfires of 72 Sqn form Acklington, the aircraft crashed into the sea
Fw Fritz Baldauf pilot pow
Lt Adolf Renner observer pow
Ogfr Wilhelm Rössinger wireless operator pow
Gefr Walter Lorenz mechanic pow
Uffz Christoph Schumann gunner pow

HE111 H-4
8/KG26
(1H+?S) The aircraft had its target as Usworth it was shot down by fighters
Oblt Hans von Lüpke pilot killed
Ofw Karl Hennicke observer killed
Uffz Max Knauer wireless operator missing
Uffz Karl Schlick mechanic killed

HE111 H-4
8/KG26
(1H+?S) The aircraft had its target as Usworth but it was shot down by fighters after bombing the Sunderland area, ditched off the Durham coast. Crew picked up by a He 59 seaplane D-AFFK of Seenotflug Staffel IV but was shot down again by a Hudson VX-V of 206 Sqn and again ditched in the sea. Crew climbed on wing of He 59 trying to keep aircraft from overturning, A Dornier Do24 seaplane was badly damaged landing on the rough sea to attempt to rescue the two aircraft crews. After a cold night on the He 59 wing a German minesweeper came on the scene but had to wait till the aircraft drifted out of a mine field before it rescued the crews from the He 59 and took it in tow and rescued the crew of the Do24. The He 59 turned turtle just before it was towed into Norderney Harbour and was sunk by gunfire from the minesweeper
Oblt Hermann Riedel pilot ok
Fw Willi Scholl observer ok
Fw Paul Süssenbach wireless operator ok
Ofw Karl Müller mechanic ok

HE111 H-4
8/KG26
(1H+?S) The aircraft had its target as Usworth it was shot down by fighters into the sea
Oblt Horst von Besser pilot missing
Uffz Franz Brehem observer missing
Uffz Alfonz Rehm wireless operator missing
Uffz Eberhard Hofmann mechanic missing
Uffz Franz Reichelt gunner missing

HE111 H-4
8/KG26
(1H+?S) The aircraft had its target as Usworth it was shot down by fighters into the sea
Uffz Heinz Puschstein pilot missing
Lt Wolfgang Burck, observer missing
Uffz Hans Karl Klug wireless operator missing
Uffz Hans Hoffmann mechanic missing
Uffz Karl Lotz gunner missing

HE111 H-4
8/KG26
(1H+?S) The aircraft had its target as Usworth it was shot down by fighters into the sea
1 killed 3pow

Thank You !!

[Chris Goss]

All of these were lost by day 15 Aug 40. At this time, Wk Nrs and codes were rarely noted on the loss returns. Battle of Britain Then & Now would give you more information. There were no other losses from 8/KG 26 but there were 2 more from 9/KG 26 and one from 1/KG 26

[BoiseBlade]

Chris,
Thank You for such a quick reply. Non of the public libraries carry that book.
would there be any onther way to tell what the aircraft numbers may have been?
Or better yet is there a way to find out if 1H+AS participated in that raid and who the crew may have been.
Would you also know if the 1st plane of the Staffel had any special markings?

Thank You again
Regards

[Chris Goss]

I am afraid that there is no other way unless you have logbooks from surviving crews. The 1/KG 26 ac was coded 1H+GH and I have Riedel's ac as 1H+FS. AS would theoretically been flown by the St Kap Hptm Steffen but this is not confirmed

[BoiseBlade]

Once again many thanks
Your knowledge on this is greatly appreciated.
I will keep investigating and putting out feelers to see if there is any other info I can find.


Regards