Do 17Z defection to Italy on 5 June 1944

[Boris Ciglic]

A question that I missed in my previous thread:

On 5 June 1944 crew of six from 1./Kampfgruppe Kroatien (ex- 15.(Kroat.)/KG 53) defected with an Do 17Z in direction of Italy. So far, I was not able to establish if they ever reached their destination or simply dissapeared somewhere along the route. Has anyone found any documet regarding their arrival in Italy? Where there any RAF claims for twin-engine aircraft along the western Adriatic coast or in Yugoslavia on this date?

Boris

[veltro]

AFAIK, (and as we reported in "Air War Italy 1944-45"), the closest reference available from Allied sources (Intelligence interrogatory report) is that a crew of six, led by Ltn. Dragou Ratkovic took off from Serajevo on 13 July 1944 in the Do 17Z "0309" of 7. staffel of 1./Kroat KG1 and belly landed in a field at Alberobello (near Bari) handing themselves over to Allied authorities.

Hope this helps

[Boris Ciglic]

Thanks Ferdinando,

but that is another aircraft, actually Do 17E W.Nr.842.

Cheers,
Boris

[Chris Goss]

Boris: I have a photo showing a Do 17 Z-5 said to have defected on 30 Jul 44? Do you have this and how many more defections were there?

[Boris Ciglic]

Hello Chris, I have some photos of it but could you send me a low-res scan of your photo? This was another aircraft of 1./Kampfgruppe Kroatien (ex- 15.(Kroat.)/KG 53). There were four sucessful defections with Do 17 from 15.(Kroat.)/KG 53 (including these two mentioned above) and another one which failed due to appearance of RAF Spitfires, as well as three from Croat AF, to Italy. Also a quite a few more to Partisan airfields in Yugoslavia and one in Russia in 1942.

[Chris Goss]

Boris-photo is with the publisher at the moment but I will send it when it returns