Seeking a/c code and incident details for 2/KG30 Ju88 with nose knocked off in 24.10.39 ground collision on Isle of Sylt, Germany

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

At least one source has reported that on the above date a new 2./KG30 Ju88A-1 was written off in a ground collision with a Bf109 which knocked most of the nose off the a/c at Westerland AF, Isle of Sylt, Germany. I believe there were several casualties. The code on this should be 4D+?K, but I don't know the individual a/c letter. This a/c was one about a couple of dozen early KG30 Ju88A-1s with a 4-bladed prop.

1) Can anyone confirm the date, circumstances and any crewman who might have been involved in this incident? We presently have no entry for this incident in our EOE Luft Loss/Damages DB, and want to resolve this one. Several photos exist of the destroyed nose of this a/c, but does anyone have any photographic or other evidence for the a/c letter of this plane, which carried the original I./KG30 "gunsight on an umbrella" insignia on the nose? I'm also trying to obtain photographic evidence for whether the W.Nr., believed to be 0019, was painted on the a/c, either on the nose or tail.

2) Failing that, does anyone have a photo of another 4-blade prop Ju88A-1 from that general period from 2./KG30, for which we know the full code, and preferably the W.Nr., as well. This would be used to represent that unit for a color profile.

Thanx,

[Matti Salonen]

I have only:
1939-10-21, I/KG 30, Ju 88A-1, (88)0019, Fl.Pl. Westerland, Bf 109E-1, Werk.-Nr. 6016, sackte nach Start auf Ju 88 durch. Bruch 80 %.
A, tot
B, verletzt
C, verletzt
1939-10-21, 1./JGr. 101, Bf 109E-1, 6016, Fl.Pl. Westerland, Nach Start sackte auf Ju 88A-1, Werk.-Nr. (88)0019, durch. Bruch 100 %.
Flugzeugführer Lt Dürba, Karl-Heinz, +

Matti

[Clint Mitchell]

I have these from expired eBay auctions. Unfortunately only from 1./KG30:

4D+AH
Attachment 6925

4D+KH
Attachment 6926

4D+CH
Attachment 6927 Attachment 6928

[Larry Hickey]

Clint & Matti,

Thanks for your info. Matti, we do have this incident in our EoE Data Base for October 21st. I just had the photo incorrectly dated to October 24th. Our DB entry is:

"October 21, 1939: I./KG30 Junkers Ju88A-1 (0019). Rammed by Bf109 of JGr.101 in aborted take-off at Westerland. Two crewmen killed. Aircraft 80% damaged – write-off."

I think that the only thing that might be added here is that with the prop spinner front half clearly painted red, this must have been a 2 Staffel a/c. All photos of 1 Staffel a/c show white spinner fronts, such as in Clint's photos, which I already have in the DB. Thanks Clint. Still need the a/c code letter for this a/c, or some other 2 Staffel a/c of the period, preferably one with a 4-bladed prop.

One other point with this incident, was the pilot listed killed in Matti's entry from the 109 or from the Ju88? And who were the two people killed that we list in our DB entry, and which plane were they associated with?

Regards,

[Larry Hickey]

Hello all,

Here is another possible aircraft for the 2./KG30 profile for the Phoney War period. Based upon a red front to the prop spinner, I assess this as a 2 Staffel a/c. It has the early 4-bladed prop, and the early I./KG30 "bombsight on an umbrella" insignia, which preceded the diving eagle KG 30 insignia. This probably FL sometime in the Sept-Oct., 1939, time frame, perhaps on the Isle of Sylt, where the AF of Westerland was. Does anyone have any additional photos of this a/c, perhaps one showing codes and W.Nr.? Can anyone ID a specific date and place?

Regards,

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

As a follow on to posting the photo of an apparent early 2./KG30 Ju88A-1 from probably 1939, I ran the EoE DB for losses from Sept-Dec., 1939, and found no good prospects until December. Here I found:

1) December 6, 1939: I./KG30 Junkers Ju88A-1 (0025). Crashed on landing at Ludwigslust due to undercarriage failure. Crew unhurt. Aircraft 50% damaged but repairable.

This could be a serious prospect, as the W.Nr. is probably within the range for a 4-bladed prop, and this could be a 2 Staffel a/c. The damage level of 50% looks a little high, however, although much of the a/c can't be seen. My reservation is would an a/c this late still be carrying the old-style "gunsight/umbrella" insignia on the nose, rather than the new KG30 diving eagle insignia? Does anyone really know when the changeover between these two insignias took place, which moved the "gunsight/umbrella" insignia to the outboard side of the engine cowlings, and replaced it with the new "diving eagle" insignia?

2) December 18, 1939: 1./KG30 Junkers Ju88A-1. Crashed on landing at Westerland due to burst tyre. Crew unhurt. Aircraft 35% damaged but repairable.

The photo does not appear to show a 1 Staffel a/c, however.

3) December 22, 1939: 1./KG30 Junkers Ju88A-1. Returned badly damaged in attack by Red Section, No. 602 Squadron (F/L J. D. Urie, F/O C. H. Maclean, and F/O Strong) during armed-recconnaisance over the Firth of Forth 10.30 a.m. Crew unhurt. Aircraft 50% damaged but repairable.

Again, the photo does not appear to show a 1 Staffel a/c.

Can anyone help here?

Regards,