Stab III./StG 1 26 Feb 41

[Chris Goss]

Hptm Helmut Mahlke's Ju 87 R was badly damaged by Flak over Malta on this day but managed to mske it back to Comiso. Dies anyone know the Wk Nr or code-Mahlke refers to the ac as Iolanthe?

[Eduardo]

Are you sure about the date Chris?
I did not find it in Gen.Qu dock.
Eduardo.

[Chris Goss]

If his biography based on his Flugbuch/diary is to be believed yes

[G.R.Morrison]

There are several III/StG 1 'incidents' in the Mediterranean that apparently did not make it onto the Quartermaster's loss reports, including several that were photographed (i.e., so - they happened).

Mahlke's Ju 87R-1 "ought" to be J9+AB (I'm skeptical), or J9+AH, but photos of the repair show 'G' on the forward area of the removed wheel spat. I don't have a Werknummer for this one.

Other photos taken after that memorable return from Malta feature Theo Nordmann's J9+MH, "Lee-on-Solent" with a hole in the starboard side of the fuselage after the oxygen bottles were hit.

GRM

P.S. "Iolanthe" refers to a cartoon pig in an unlikely barnyard 'romance,' and was used as the Stukakette's emblem in the Legion Condor.

[Chris Goss]

There is definitely a letter in white on the wheel spat which looks to be G. Iolanthe in Germany is Jolanthe (?) so does the letter J come into it somewhere? Without the FB, I doubt we will know