JU88 shot Down 7/8th March 1945 Dessau

[Steve Smith]

Hi,

I am not expecting much from this post but fingers crossed.

A Lancaster of No.218 Squadron claimed a JU88 destroyed at 22:26 hours at 5140N 1203E after a shot sharp encounter.

Was there any JU88 losses reported on this night over this area?

TIA

Steve

[RodM]

Hi Steve,

the 218 Squadron crew claimed the Ju88 destroyed while exiting the target area, some 20 km south-west of Dessau.

There were a couple of combats and claims within a 30 km radius of Dessau, so there is no easy correlation between RAF claims and LW losses.

Firstly, to look at what the Luftwaffe High Command reported the following morning, based on reports sent to them from the Jagddivisions:

1. Jagddivision - combated both the Harburg/Hemmingstedt raid and the Dessau raid. Two night fighters lost, three aircrew killed and one wounded. One of the two losses was a Ju88G-6 of the Stabst./NJG3, which crashed while landing at Gottingen airfield, after hitting a hidden obstruction. Three crew died and one was severely injured. I have no information about the second loss.

2. Jagddivision - did not combat the Dessau raid.

3. Jagddivision - reported one night fighter damaged against the Dessau raid, no aircrew casualties. I have no information about this loss. Reputedly, Oblt. Hermann Greiner and crew baled out of Stab IV./NJG1 Bf110G-4 W.N. 160127 near Michelbach, after running out of fuel. The Bf110 was a complete loss (i.e. not damaged).

7. Jagddivision - reported no losses against the Dessau raid, but Oblt. Peter Spoden and crew baled out of I./NJG6 Ju88G-6 W.Nr. 621497 (2Z+DP) near Dillington, after an earlier air combat with a Lancaster. Dillington is some 380 km SSW of Dessau. Oblt. Spoden's combat could have occurred anywhere along the first 100 km of the bombers' return route, so there is no conclusive evidence linking it to the 218 Squadron Lancaster. He claimed a Lancaster shot down over Dessau at 22.08 hrs, and a second Lancaster shot down 50 km south-west of Dessau at 22.29 hrs.

Jafü Mittelrhein - reported one night fighter and three crew missing against the Dessau raid. This was likely Fhj.Ofw. Heinrich Breitenfelder and crew, who made a forced landing at Unterschlauersbach airfield in a II./NJG2 Ju88G-6 at 23.40 hrs. Fhj.Ofw. Breitenfelder had a combat with a Lancaster over Dessau at 22.11 hrs, leading to damage to his night fighter. The three-person night fighter crew received no injuries.

In terms of RAF air combat claims by returning crews:

405 Sqn Lancaster PA965/D - two Ju88s destroyed over Dessau at 22.02 hrs - these combats could relate to Fhj.Ofw. Breitenfelder or Oblt. Spoden.

218 Squadron Lancaster RA532/L - one Ju88 destroyed 20 km SW of Dessau at 22.26 hrs - this could relate to Oblt. Spoden.

103 Sqn Lancaster RA528/B - one Ju88 damaged at an unknown location and time.

625 Squadron Lancaster NG412/M - one U/I T/E E/A destroyed near Goslar at 21.28 hrs. This combat does not relate to Fhj.Ofw. Breitenfelder or Oblt. Spoden.

Cheers

Rod

Cheers

Rod

[Steve Smith]

Hi Rod,

Thank you for the detailed reply. As expected trying to link the two was never going to be easy. No.218 had two other inconclusive encounters, F/Sgt Peter Cullen and crew mixed it was a Me410 (sic) at 22:28 hours soon after leaving the target area. F/O 'Winky' Rankin Wilson RAAF engaged a JU88 at 20:27 hours. No claims were made. The squadron lost one crew to a night fighter, F/Lt Kenneth McKenzie RNZAF at 22:45 hours, reported to have been claimed by Fw Helmut Burchard of 1./NJG5.

Thanks again Rod.

Steve

[Col Bruggy]

Originally Posted by Steve Smith

Hi Rod,

Thank you for the detailed reply. As expected trying to link the two was never going to be easy. No.218 had two other inconclusive encounters, F/Sgt Peter Cullen and crew mixed it was a Me410 (sic) at 22:28 hours soon after leaving the target area. F/O 'Winky' Rankin Wilson RAAF engaged a JU88 at 20:27 hours. No claims were made. The squadron lost one crew to a night fighter, F/Lt Kenneth McKenzie RNZAF at 22:45 hours, reported to have been claimed by Fw Helmut Burchard of 1./NJG5.

Thanks again Rod.

Steve

Steve,

F/O 'Winky' Rankin Wilson RAAF ?

Surely you mean AUS436424 Ronald William RANKINE-WILSON RAAF + 24/02/2006 - https://docslide.com.br/documents/ob...2924c43ed.html

Col.

[Steve Smith]

Hi Col,


Yes that is the man, but he was known as 'Winky' on the squadron!

I was in touch with three of his crew and apart from his matinee idol looks, he was a bit of a flirt with he ladies !

Steve

[RodM]

Hi Steve,

F/L McKenzie's Lancaster (PD278) crashed near Marisfeld, 11 km ESE of Meiningen (the only Lancaster to crash in the general area). According to the Nachtjagdverbände Abschüsseliste compiled by the later Emil Nonnenmacher and Hans Ring, Fw. Helmut Burkhard of I./NJG5 claimed an aerial victory "S.S.W. Meiningen" at "21.45 hrs".

I have not cited any original source document confirming Burkhard's claim myself, but if genuine, it seems to be the only one made in the area where PD278 crashed.

Cheers

Rod