crashed Ju88 identity

[Pieter H]

I have a picture of a Ju88A that is claimed to have crashed on (or around) May 13 1940 at Jandrain in Belgium, close to Hannut where at that very moment a big tank battle was raging between the German PzDiv 3 and 4 and the French Corps de Cavalerie.

Three crew members were killed in the crash, which left the wreck completely burned out: Uffz Krojewski, Uffz Sachs and Fw Henschel.

The closest possible match I have is a Ju88 of 3.(F)/122, that went missing on the 13th during a mission over North-Western Belgium. But of this machine I have neither crew nor crash location.

Can anybody help to identify this machine?

Pieter

[montana]

I know a German aircraft was shot down on 12th May at Orp-le-Grand, road to Jandrain. This aircraft was shot down by ground fire from motorised French Army (11e Dragon). Can you tell me whether there are markings on the fuselage of this Ju 88 ?

[Pieter H]

Montana,

Thanks for your input. Especially the date of May 12 could be important. As I said I had already some doubt as to the accuracy of the date.

The picture shows the completely burnt plane, with only the tail and outer wing sections plus engines left. No unit identification possible. I am therefore already very happy to have some of the crew names.

Regarding the claims of the Dragons Portees: in practice planes that were already hit were often fired at by different ground units on its way down. The unit that fired last before the crash then claimed the kill, although the original cause was often a different one. (Like in soccer, where the player that last touches the ball gets the credit of the goal, although someone else might have given the real shot). As far as I know these french units were hardly equipped with anti-aircraft units, so I expect that the plane was originally hit by britsh or french fighters.

Do you have some indication of the time by the Dragons? That would help a lot for the possible identification.

Pieter

[Peter Cornwell]

Pieter,

I know of no loss to 1.(F)/122 on 13 May 1940. They did lose a Ju88 the next day but not the crew you mention. What is the source for the crew names you quote & have you checked them against the German War Graves website ? This at least would enable you to confirm the date of death.

[montana]

Hi Pieter,
I haven't found an Uffz. Krojewski killed in the German War Graves website... And Henschel and Sachs are too general as German names. Do you know their first names ?
Sorry, I haven't the time of the crash.
I own a photograph alleged to have been taken at Orp. It's a Ju 88 badly burned with 4 kids standing on the wreck. There is a small marking on the top of the rudder. Maybe it's the same photograph as your.
Rgds.

[Pieter H]

Dear Peter, Montana,

Checked the German War Grave site as you suggested. I think these are the names:

• Uffz Helmut Sachse, killed 13-5-1940, Lommel Block 47 Grave 227
• Ufw Heinz Krajewski, killed 13-5-140, Lommel Block 47 Grave 228
• Gefr Ernst Henschel, killed 13-5-1940, Lommel Block 47 Grave 226

As Montana said, there seems to be some marking on the rudder, which I would describe as a stylized picture of a skull. Could it then be a III./KG54 machine, which unit used as their marking? Can anybody confirm they also used this sign - however small - on the tail? Problem is then that I have no recorded losses of a III./KG54 Ju88 on May 13, only on May 12. Is Montana's date of 12-5 then correct?

Pieter