Crew of Me 110, Werknr 3385

[paul kroon]

Is there anybody on the board who knows who the crew were of Me 110, Werknr 3385, which crashed in the night of October 15, 1940. The a/c belonged to 4/NJG2 and crashed in the surroundings of Gilze-Rijen Airfield.
Tia,
paul

[John Vasco]

W. Nr. 3385 was a 'D-0' variant, coded 3M+AH of 4./NJG 2.
Pilot - Oblt. Paul Zimmerman
Bf - Gefr. Walter Makowski
Crashed following combat sortie on 17/10/40
Both crew killed.

[paul kroon]

John,
Zimmerman and Makowski were the crew of Ju 88, R4+EL, Werknr 0251. They crashed on Oct 17th, 1940 near Dongen.
I am looking for the crew of Me 110, 3M+AH, which crashed on October 15, 1940.
Regards,
paul

[Larry Hickey]

Hello Paul,

We have no listing for a Bf110, 3M+AH, WNr.3385, down on 15.10.40 in the EoE Luft Loss DB.

Regards,

[paul kroon]

Hello Larry,
Me 110, Werknr 3385, 3M+AH crashed near Sprang-Capelle. The crew baled out to safety.
The a/c belonged to NJG2, although the markings are of 1/ZG2. 1/ZG2 became 4/NJG2 at the end of October. Therefore the markings were still 3M in stead of R4.
Regards,
paul

[Larry Hickey]

Paul,

What are you working from, photos or what source?

Regards,

[John Vasco]

Paul,
I don't think Peter Cornwell will mind me posting the following from his extensive records, since he does so on the odd occasion to help people on here.

Here are his research findings:
3./NJG2 Junkers Ju88C-2 (0251). Crashed on landing at Gilze-Rijen following sortie, cause not stated. Crew all unhurt. Aircraft R4+EL 20% damaged but repairable.

4./NJG2 Messerschmitt Bf110D-0 (3385). Crashed and burned out attempting crash-landing near Kaatsheuvel, south of Sprang-Capelle, following mid-air fire during sortie. FF Oberlt Paul Zimmermann and BF Gefr Walter Makowski both killed. Aircraft 3M+AH 100% write-off.

And this is for 15/10/40:
4./NJG2 Messerschmitt Bf110D-3 (3812). Crashed and burned out at Sprang-Capelle 10.40 p.m. FF Ernst Schulz baled out landing near Oude-Straat at Sprang with broken left arm, gunner baled out unhurt landing at Waalwijk. Aircraft A2+BL100% write-off.


Do you have information that would correct/update the information in the EoE database? Or is what is provided here actually the correct information?

[John Vasco]

Mr. Kroon,

Do you have a further reply to make following my previous post...?

[paul kroon]

Dear Mr Vasco,
Sometimes there is no opportunity to give an immediate reaction!
14/10/40 Gilze-Rijen AF. Do 17, Wn 2851, 3./NJG2, R4+DK. Crashed at landing. Götz, Herder and Dreher wia.

15/10/40 Sprang-Capelle Bf 110, Wn 3385, 4./NJG2, 3M+AH.
A/c crashed near the farmhouse of Willem de Bie, Nieuwstraat . Pilot E. Schulz was treated for his injured arm in the house of the Nieuwkoop-family, Oudestraat 43.

17/10/40 Dongen. NVM: Zimmerman and Makowski. In handwriting: Ju 88 W.n 0251, R4+EL.

Regards,
Paul

[Peter Cornwell]

Paul,

We agree on most details about these losses. However, reference to the GQM Returns will confirm that Bf110 (3385) 3M+AH was actually the aircraft of ZIMMERMANN and MAKOWSKI. There is no hand-written details of their aircraft on my copy of the relevant NVM which suggests that this note was added sometime post-war. It is certainly an error.

The same source (GQM Returns) also confirms that Ju88 (251) R4+EL suffered 20% damage with no injuries to the crew.

According to the NVM the GOETZ crew were all from 2./NJG2 not 3 Staffel - a detail seemingly confirmed by the R4+DK codes reportedly carried.