Luftwaffe Cant Z506 crash on 9 March 1944

[Laurent Rizzotti]

On 9 March 1944 a Cant Z506 in Luftwaffe service (WNr 45463) with an Italian crew crashed near Heudorf, 11 km SE of Tutlingen, at 1640 hrs during a ferry flight between Berre and Friedrichshafen. Both Italian crew, Lt de Munari (pilot) and Uffz Moscardini (flight engineer), were wounded.

I would be interested to know to which unit this aircraft was attached ? The full names of the casualties will also be appreciated.

For what is worth, here is what I know of German use of the Cant Z506, source is wikipedia (sic):
"The Cant of 171a Squadriglia kept on operating air/sea rescue and patrol missions from the military port of Toulon, with mixed Italian/German crews. Some 506s captured by Germans, flown by Italian volunteer crews, operated in 1944 on the Baltic sea, patrolling the area around Peenemunde."

Coming from Berre, not far from Toulon, this Cant could be one that had been operated by 171a Sqa.

Thanks in advance

[Seaplanes]

Dear Laurent, are you sure about the Werk-Nummer 45463 that you qoute for the Z.506 that forcelanded in Switzerland on 9. March 1944. I have this aircraft reported arriving in Köln (Cologne) in transit from France to the Baltic coast of Germany on 07. March 1944. On 20. April 1944 the plane was reported by Luftzeuggruppe (See) in Travemünde.

When Italy surrendered to the Allies in September 1943, German forces took control of the remainder of the country and secured all war materials in the process. This also included all italian seaplanes. The Luftwaffe set up a special Kommando for this task led by a Hauptmann Gaul. They rounded up a large number of aircraft, both aircraft already in service, and those still under production. The plans for the use of the Z.506 was within the Seenotdient. Several aircraft were transferred via Berre in France to the E-Stelle (See) in Travemünde for testing and to the Fl.Erg.Gruppe (See) in Kamp on Rügen for the training of crews. The bulk of Z.506' went to the 6. Seenotstaffel operating mainly in the Adriatic, which at its peak at the end of May 1944, had a total of 22 Cant Z.506B's on strength, of which about half were serviceable. In mid. July 1944, the 6. Seenotstaffel was disbanded.
Remaining italian Aircraft were most likely broken up. I have never seen proof that Z.506 Aircraft were used operationally in the Baltics. Only for training and only for e very short period.

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Hello, thanks for the extensive reply (and as I thought another case of "don't believe wikipedia").

My source for the WNr 45463 is a post on a German forum:
http://www.forum-marinearchiv.de/smf...?topic=19651.0

I now see that the man who posted it is the one who put German seaplane loss lists in the Internet, and repeats this loss in his 1944 list, but without any WNr:
http://luftwaffe-zur-see.de/Seeluft/...n/Jahr1944.htm

(I should have checked this website...)

In this list, the unit is listed as LZGr. (See). I would be interested by the meaning of this unit name. Four of the five losses listed for this unit in 1944 are Cant Z506, all in Germany in March and April 1944. By the way, two are listed at Friedrichshafen on 18 March 1944 for "unknown reason", the USAAF bomber aviation targets there this day.

[obdl3945]

Hi, Laurent...

LZ.Gr (Luftzeuggruppe) was an 'aviation equipment group'.

Regards,

Paul

[Laurent Rizzotti]

Thanks Paul

[Tom Willis]

Hi - Has been nearly a year. Has anybody else any fresh information on this subject. Thanks

Regards Tom