He-115, 1st March 1941

[alanatabz]

Hi All

Looking for some info

An He-115 was hit by AA fire and landed in the sea off Whitehills (Aberdeenshire).

This is on 1st March 1941 and Part of Kampstaffel 2./KG26 1H +BK

Any details on the crew? or any more info

one source says He 111

In 1977 Hatto Kuhn described flying his damaged Heinkel 111 1H+BK out to sea from the Moray Firth before deciding that they would never make the return to base and instead turned it round and finally ditched in the Firth. It made me wonder about the Luftwaffe's air-sea rescue setup in the more northerly North Sea area.

[Carsten Petersen]

I understand fully why Kuhn turned around and ditched in the Firth. The weather was not the best and if the crew landed in the sea, their lives would have been finished with 15 minutes. If they got into the rubber boat and did not capsize, they might have lasted 6-12 hours. I know of a couple of incidents, where German aircrew shot themselves instead of freezing to death.

[RT]

People says that freezing to death is not so bad , your are slowly falling asleep, but I hv to confess, that I hv no direct testimony...
Plane an He111H-5 as shown by Wn, 3774, no such a high number on He115
S Aalborg 16h19 4xI,KG26 1x500 4x250 gegen Geleitzug Kinnairds Head A/Notw. 19h00


Rémi

[JoMe]

Hi

It must be this loss:

01.03.1941
I(2)/KG 26
2km v. Whitehills/GB (5km NW Banff/GB)
He 111 H-5 / 3774 / 1H + BK
100% / F
last radio message: "burning engine"
crew:
Oblt Harro Kühn PW
Uffz Fritz Großhardt PW
Gefr Manfred Hänel PW
Uffz Ferdinand Männling PW

best wishes
JoMe

[alanatabz]

Thanks all

Alan