Bf110C-1 loss 1940

[alex crawford]

Hi,

Early in the morning of the 24th four Bf110s from 3 Staffel I/ZG76 came in low over Bardufoss and strafed the dispersal area. Accurate anti-aircraft fire soon drove them off. Fly Off Grant-Ede took off in pursuit and was able to get in a few bursts at one of them before they out paced him. Army personnel informed the squadron that this aircraft did in fact crash on a frozen lake near Thysfjord.

From the RAF and Luftwaffe website
www.rafandluftwaffe.info

I found that a Bf110C-1 from 3 Staffel I/ZG76 came down on Lake
Upmasjaure Sweden and it was credited to a 263 Squadron Gladiator.

Does anyone have any further details on this Bf110C-1 loss? Was it the aircraft attacked by Grant-Ede?

Any help appreciated.

Alex

[odybvig]

The Bf 110 that landet on the frozen lake in Sweden was not grounded due to enemy fighters, I think (have to check) that it was damaged by swedish AA and had to make an emergency landing.
The crew was later picked up by a He 59, that landed on the ice.
An article in Jet & Prop told the hole story
The wreck was later raised and is now hanging on a wall in a german museum.

Best
Olve Dybvig

[Knut Larsson]

Hallo Alex and Ove

The aircraft was a Me 110 from Sonderstaffel ZG 76 flown by Fw. Neureiter with Stabing. Thönes.
According to my notes it was probably Me 110 D-0, WNr.3154 and coded NO+DS. According to some other references it was Me 110 C-1, WNr.3920 and coded M8+NK
This aircraft could possibly have been slightly damaged during the attack on airfield Bardufoss in North-Norway. However during the return flight to their airfield Vaernes in Central-Norway the Me 110 was attacked by F/O Grant-Ede near the Swedish border at Bjørnefjell E of Narvik which is 80 km S of Bardufoss. As you said it was hit by fire from the Gladiator and then turned SE and flew into the then neutral Sweden to escape the British plane. F/O Grant-Ede was in fact later allowed by the RAF 1 Me 110 damaged over “Bjornfell” at 12:00.
The Me 110 flew over Sweden damaged further 65 km southwards before it had to force land at the frozen lake Upma. The crash site lies only 20 km from the Norwegian border in the Tysfjorden area.
South of Narvik in Sweden is only wilderness with no Swedish troops, So it is not likely that it was brought down by Swedish ground fire. Although the Swedes had some guns in the Torneträsk – Kiruna area, but this is further east of Narvik.
Most probably the reason for the crash is the attack by F/O Grant-Ede. However I have not seen any article about this incident in Jet and Prop.
Regards
Knut

[alex crawford]

Hi Olve, Knut

Thanks for your replies. It would be interesting to read what the Jet and Prop article has to say about this.

Alex

[odybvig]

Hello again

According to a article in Jet & Prop 1/96, the A/C was hit by swedish AA fire and had to land on the ice
The A/C together with three other was on a mission to secure a Ju 52 flight with Fallschirmjäger to Narvik. Was then hit by AA fire when observing the railway between Narvik and Sweden on its way back.
The unit observed airbattle between Gladiators and Bf 110 on their mission but had order to stay with the Ju 52's.
Fw. Neureiter was killed in a air accident after the war.
The information are from a pilot from one of the other Bf 110 on this flight.

The aircraft are today at Sinsheim. No code, only StKz NO+DS. in addition it had a 900 l drop tank on this mission. Me 110 D-0, WNr.3154 is also correct


Best from Norway
Olve Dybvig

[alex crawford]

Hi Olve,

Thanks for the additional info. Below is Grant-Ede's combat report for this engagement.

'Aircraft were observed over west edge of aerodrome at about 12:40. I took off about 12:45 and landed at 13:10. I followed the 4 Me110 South and they appeared to be trying to get between me and the aerodrome. They were in line astern formation with No 4 above and some way behind. E/A were circling and must have been throttled well back. I attacked head on and observed E/A fire coming from nose appeared to be 2-3 Mg’s. E/A were light green or blue underneath and dark on top, they were twin engined A/c with tapered wings, clipped at the edges and twin rudders.

When I delivered my attack the E/A broke off before colliding. I pulled away and attacked another E/A directly behind the first. My guns more or less ceased to fire and after 2nd burst one of my inboard guns only was still firing. So I broke off the engagement and was pursued by E/A until I turned round a hill near the aerodrome about 4 miles away to the South . Only three aircraft pursued me.'

A note at the bottom of the report states, 'A possibility of one Me110 fails to return since four aircraft were plotted coming to Bardufoss and only 3 returned.'

Regards,

Alex

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Guys

I find it highly unlikely that any Swedish AA fire damaged the 110 so that it had to forceland in Sweden. No AA report exists from the Swedish side.
No one in Sweden knew about the wreck until 1946 when it was discovered in the lake by some fishermen.

BUT what is it? Bf 110C-1 WNr 3920 or Bf 110D-0 WNr 3154? From where comes the report of the D-0 3154? It is not listed in any loss reports as far as I know...

Anyway it can't be both you know!!

Cheers
Stig

[gogh]

Hi all

In the data I collected I have the 3920 as a C-4 with
vkz G9+GA used by NJG 1

Is this correct ?

Regards

Peter van Gogh

[Chris Goss]

I am still puzzled as to this crash. A Bf 110 did come down at Thysfjord on this date but no crew details. I have Uffz Helmut Neureiter as being the Bf to Oblt Reinhard ECKHARDT of 2/ZG 76. They apparently force-landed at Snorkijaure 26 May 40 and were rescued by 1 Seenotflugkdo. I have no Thoenes with I/ZG 76 but a Lt Thomas was the Stabs Ing???

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Peter,

That Bf110 (Wnr.3920) was Wolfgang Falcks personal Bf 110 and it is unlikely that it had a nightfighter code during the Norway campaign, even before a NJG 1 was founded.

From my Bf 110 File I can confirm that the Werkenummer 3154 had the Stammkennzeichen NO+DS.

Best wishes, Marcel Hogenhuis / Venlo