Leutnant Helmut Viedebantt - 18 April 1941

[Leo Etgen]

Hello

I have read that on 18 April 1941 the Bf 110 D-0 flown by Leutnant Helmut Viedebantt (23 victories, RK, killed in flying accident 1 May 1945) of 1.(Z)/JG 77 was damaged in aerial combat with a Blenheim twin-engined bomber of 141 Sqn, RAF. Although he was able to land the aircraft at Mandal the Bordfunker baled out over the sea and was lost. Is the name of this unfortunate man known? Many thanks for any help.

Horrido!

Leo

[Matti Salonen]

1941-04-18, 2./JG 77, Bf 110 D, 3330, 40 km westlich Lister, Im Luftkampf mit 4 Blenheim über See aus der Maschine geschleudert. Bruch 20 %.
Flugzeugführer Lt Viedebantt, Helmut
Bordfunker Uffz Kind, Helmut, +

Matti

[Leo Etgen]

Hi Matti

Many thanks for the excellent help as is the norm from you in regards to this question. I greatly appreciate the time you took to look this up for me.

Horrido!

Leo

[Stig Jarlevik]

Matti and all

I am very puzzled by this loss.
First of all I./JG 77 had no Bf 110 listed on strength.
Secondly Prien on page 143 in JFV Vol 5 says this was a Bf 109E WNr 3330 which was lost with Uffz Helmut Kind KIA.

I note that Leo thinks the unit was 1.(Z)/JG 77, but this was not formed until June 1941 at Herdla from 2./ZG 76. (see Mikael Holm)
How this could be formed from 2./ZG 76 is not known since 2./ZG 76 had already become 5./NJG 1 on 7.9.1940 (again Holm).

I would be very happy if someone could explain the real situation in Norway at this time.

Cheers
Stig

[John Vasco]

As far as I am aware, Viedebantt's units were:
5./ZG 1, who were re-designated as:
8./ZG76 from July 1940, who were re-designated as:
5./SKG 210 from 24 April 1941.

So, the incident on 18th April 1941 would have occurred when he was with 8./ZG 76.

Bf 110 with a W. Nr. 3330 was a 'D-0' variant.

[Andreas Brekken]

Hello.

It would be very interesting to know when the NVM which information Matti has relayed was dated. I think that might well clear up a few things.

My idea about this is that Helmut Kind was attached to 2./JG 77 at the time of this loss, and that the confusion stems from the fact that the aircraft and the person in question in reality belonged to two different units. The loss record was also corrected twice.

I am definite about the fact that the aircraft was a Bf 110 WNr 3330 from III./ZG 76. The same aircraft has been reported as damaged on October 9th 1940 (III./ZG 76 - 10%) and June 12th 1941(III./ZG 76 - 30%).

Regards,
Andreas B

[Chris Goss]

Wasn't there an interim unit before JG 77-Jagdkommando Kveik?

[Stig Jarlevik]

Gentlemen

Thanks a lot for the updates. The whole incident makes much more sense now and Andreas idea sounds very plausible indeed.

Cheers
Stig

[Andreas Brekken]

Hi, Chris

Yes, there was - a unit of Staffel strength operating Bf 109s under the command of III./ZG 76. Also known as Jagdschwärme III./ZG 76.

These crews and units operated together from the same airfields and under the same command structure.

Regards,
Andreas B

[Nick Beale]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

Gentlemen

Thanks a lot for the updates. The whole incident makes much more sense now and Andreas idea sounds very plausible indeed.

Cheers
Stig

But it's interesting that he was »geschleudert« (hurled or catapulted) from the aircraft. It's not a cause of death I've seen recorded before and not the way they usually describe a parachute jump. It is a word you might use for using an ejector seat (»Schleudersitz«) but that surely can't apply in this case. It rather sounds like he wan't properly strapped in.