26 July 1940 - Ju 88 and Do 17P Losses

[Peter Cook]

I am trying to establish the identity of the Luftwaffe aircraft that were attacked in two separate incidents on 26 July 1940. In his combat report F/Sgt Franklin of 65 Squadron describes attacking a Ju 88 and a Bf 109 at 16.35 hours off Folkestone. However, Mason (Battle Over Britain) and Cull (Battle for the Channel) link Franklin's claim to a Do 17P of 5.(F)/122, which returned with minor combat damage. Curiously, Mason also links this combat to the damage inflicted on a Ju 88A of 3.(F)/121 '"Damaged by Spitfires of 65 Sqn., near Folkestone at 16.55 hrs. 10% damage. One crew member killed". Mason appears to be the only source that lists this 3.(F)/121 loss on 26 July.

The second combat took place at 17.18 when P/O Williams and P/O Hill of 92 Squadron claimed to have damaged a Ju 88 over Pembroke, but apart from the Ju 88A listed by Mason above, the only loss listing for a Ju 88 on this date that I can locate was Ju 88A-1 3131 3Z+AR of 7./KG 77, which crash landed after a domestic flight.

Can anyone help to clear up these contradictions?

[Chris Goss]

I have the 5./122 aircraft on 27 July 1940 with 5% damage. Mason was very good at the time of its publication in 1969 but very inaccurate in many of his assumptions. KG 77 would not have been operating over Pembroke and as you say it was on a NCM flight

[robert]

Second combat: they attacked a Ju 88 of 1.(F)/123 and it returned slightly damaged.

Robert

[Chris Goss]

There were quite a number of recce ac over the west of England that afternoon. Yes there was the 1./123 aircraft (I have no mention of it encountering enemy aircraft) likewise 3./121. The only aircraft to report fighters was a 4./14 aircraft (Bf 110?) off Plymouth between 1440-1620 hrs

[Peter Cook]

Thank Chris -- I should have checked my 27 July records first for 5./122 Do 17P, all the other sources place it on that date. As for Francis Mason's work on loss lists, despite the errors I am a huge admirer, I can't imagine how he complied his lists without a computer -- I would love to see his index card file! When I think of his early work, and that of Peter Cornwell, Newton's phrase 'standing on the shoulders of giants' comes to mind!

Robert, do you have any more information on the damaged Ju 88 if 1.(F)/123? I can't find any other references to it and the closest 1.(F)/123 loss that I have is Ju 88A 4U+EH, which went missing on the 24 July. The next loss that I have for this unit doesn't occur until 4 September (4U+MH).

[Chris Goss]

I would guess that damage was so slight, nothing was recorded apart from in a KTB or FB