And now for the disaster, I./ZG2 victories for the FC

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

As a follow on to my previous postings on this subject, I'm trying to reconstruct the victory claims for I./ZG2 for the FC. I have practically no hard info on this unit. I know they made 9 victory claims on 10.5.40, and at least 8 more on the 11.5.40, but I know the details of only one, a Morane 406 for 3 Staffel pilot Fw. Ernst Otterbach on the 11th. The details of the others are completely unknown to me. However, we know that victories were claimed during the FC by Hptm. Johannes Gentzen from Stab, Fw Wolfgang Brachs of 1 Staffel, a least one more by Fw. Ernst Otterback of 3 Staffel, and unknown victories by these pilots Staffel unknown: Lt. Hans Wilberg and Oblt. Harald Zimmermann.

If anyone out there can provide anything on this subject for I./ZG 2, it would be greatly apprecated.

Thanx,

[Nokose]

Larry, Do you have the early claims for I/ZG2 while they were JGr 102? I found these in "Fledging Eagles" by Christopher Shores.
06Nov39 Curtiss H-75A GCII/5 Lt. Pierre Houze (crashed at his airfield) by Hptn Hannes Gentzen in a BF-109D
25Jan40 Blenheim (L1280) 57 Sqdn by Fw. Scherer 2./JGr102 in a Bf-109D
07Apr40 Curtiss H-75A GCIII/6 Adj Chef Salmand (KIA) near Beaumont-en-Argonne by Hpt Hannes Gentzen I/ZG2 in a Bf-110C.
Hopefully this will help,
Michael

[Larry Hickey]

Michael,

Thanx for the effort, but I do already have these. Right now I'm focused on the French Campaign period, and I'll follow up later with questions on my lists for the Battle of Britain. I already have the easy stuff. Now I'm down to the hard core data problems that are going to require the uncovering of new information or sources than have been available over the past many years.

Thanx again.

[Nick Beale]

Larry, wouldn't John Vasco & Peter Cornwell's book Zerstörer: The Messerschmitt 110 and its units in 1940 (JAC Publications, 1995) be helpful to you?

[Larry Hickey]

Nick,

Thanks for your suggestion, but I aleady work closely with John Vasco, who is a member of our research working group.

Your input is appreciated.

Regards,