BL-154 and BL-157

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Maybe the direction is known at least? Leningrad, Svir or Karelia? To make it easier to find Soviet data about this raid.

[Raimo Malkamäki]

Hi all, and especially Matti (long time no see).

According to a story in Kansa taisteli -magazine 4/1984, Varbenitsa was located 28 kilometers southeast from Lotinapelto/Lodeinoje Pole.

Best regards,

Raimo

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Raimo, thank you!

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

It is Varbenichi (Варбеничи) ~26 km ESE Lodeinoje Pole.

According to WD of 7.Army, 15.4.42 in the sector of 21.SD [rifle division] 5 Ju88/Me110 were shot down + 2 Me110 were shot down in the area of Alekhovshchina [40 km SSE Lodeinoje Pole]. “Judging by the bodies of the pilots, it was established that the last 2 planes are German”.

According to op.report of 21.SD (07:00 15.4.42), at 06:30 two bomber Kette [2 звена – apparently 2x3 planes] attacked an AA battery in Qu.2960 [~4 km E Varbenichi], 4 planes were shot down by AA fire; 3 airmen bailed out.

According to updated info (op.report of 21.SD 19:00 15.4.42), 4 enemy planes shot down by the 215.AA battery were found 2.5 km SE Varbenichi, and 6 airmen bodies. 4 airmen bailed out, 2 of them crashed and 2 escaped. Two more planes were damaged but were able to fly away.
Alas, that's all I could find on a quick look without getting out of my chair.

Based on the data above, there were 6 downed planes found on the ground, 4 of them near Varbenichi and 2 German near Alekhovshchina. Am I correct in understanding that only the loss of 3 Blenheims is known?
And is anything known about damage to other Blenheims?

Best regards,
Andrey

[Stig Jarlevik]

Excellent update Andrey

According to Keskinen/Stenman in Suomen Ilmavoimat 1942, it was a huge effort by the Finns.
Nine Do 17 Z from LLv 46 were the first over the target (no losses) followed by
initially three Blenheims,
from LLv 42, one lost at 04.58H (BL-154)
They were followed by four more Blenheims from the same unit which lost two at 05.02H (BL-157 and -159)
There is no report of any German involvement in the book.

The suspicion that the bombs were the reason came from one aircraft (BL-109) which returned with a
faulty bomb where the bomb rack was broken and the plug of the trigger bar was off.
However just as Mattis said the final conclusion was that this could not have caused the bombs
to explode prematurely and very heavy defensive AA-fire was most likely the cause.

The Finns suffered no more losses that day.

Sorry I didn't look inside that book until today. We have one room getting new wallpaper and
a freshly painted ceiling so I have great difficulty in reaching any books right now....

B Rgds
Stig

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Stig, thank you for additional info.

Apparently, the 48.OZAD PVO participated in the same events, fired at 6 Me110 and claimed 3 of them shot down at 05:00 msk [?].

At 16:00 air observation warning and communication service [ВНОС = VNOS] of 7.Army reported to 48.OZAD that one Me110 was found near Lyashozero [a lake 26 km SSW Varbenichi].

At 23:30 16.4.42 an entry was made in WD of 48.OZAD: the Me-110 planes [the remaining 2 or all 3?], shot down by Lt Kolesnik, fell 5 km S of Pechenitsy [5.5 km OSO Varbenichi]. 5 airmen KIA, 1 POW [!].

Thus, so far only low-level documents have been found. Among them there are none from those who inspected the downed planes (it is known that they removed 4 MG, maps and documents from the planes).

The real aircraft models are unclear. It is unclear whether it was only the Finnish raid, or there were also German Bf110s (maybe at a slightly different time and in a slightly different place). When/if I visit TsAMO again, I'll try to look at the documents of AA Defense and intel.dept of 7.Army. Unless, of course, other Russian forum members who are familiar with these events tell us what happened.

Perhaps Matti can tell if there were German losses in the area in question on 15.4.42 or days close to that date.

Best regards,
Andrey

[Stig Jarlevik]

Google Maps does not show the exact place where this Varbenichi was located, but Lodeinoje Pole
is on the southern banks of the River Svir and was a logistics center.

The aim of the attack was obviously to disrupt a Soviet offensive crossing the river.

The book mentions an attack by three Soviet fighters against BL-152 but no damage is reported by
the authors.

If the Luftwaffe had the capacity to help with additional bombers that night is unknown to me.
To use fighter escort at night is rather pointless so I doubt any Bf 110s were there. Feels rather
like the Soviet fighters saw the twin tails of the Finnish Do 17s

As far as I can determine there were no German nightfighters present (no losses or claims) so
bottom line seems to me that both the Soviet fighters and AA-fire claims the same aircraft based upon
the visible explosions.

Overclaiming was usual during the war and no doubt overestimating the debris found on the
ground could explain the "six" located crashed aircraft, unless of course the Germans suffered three
losses as well

B Rgds
Stig

[Matti Salonen]

I have not found any Luftwaffe Bf 110 lost in April 1942 in the East (Lfl. 1). The explanation given by Stig seems plausible to me.

Regards,

Matti

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello Stig and Matti,

thank you for additional info.

Undoubtedly, overclaims are always possible and most likely took place. But, usually, reports of aircraft wrecks are reliable.

However, in this case, all the data that could be found are preliminary, and they partially contradict each other. I also wonder if anyone was really captured.

I am less familiar with this sector of the front.
Anyway, I'll check it out at the TsAMO on occasion.
At the same time, I'll see what kind of AA guns were in these units.

Best regards,
Andrey

[James A Pratt III]

I have another possible cause for the loss of BL-157 and BL-159 they collided possibly after one was hit by flak.