Me210 loss 06.03.44

[keith A]

Don Blakeslee claims a Me210 on this date but I assume it was actually a Me410? One source states 16 Me410 were shot down on this date. Can anyone identify the LW units that lost aircraft?

I am also looking for information on another Me410 loss in combat on 29 May 1944.

regards

Keith

[Laurent Rizzotti]

From a Tony Wood file, for 16 March 1944, here are the losses and claims of two-engined fighters:
I./ZG 76: 1 claim (1 B-17), 8 aircraft destroyed (damage 60% and more), 2 damaged, 4 KIA, 2 WIA
II./ZG 76: no claim, 8 aircraft destroyed, 2 damaged, 8 KIA, 5 WIA
III./ZG 76: 5 claims (3 B-17, 1 B-17 HSS, 1 B-17 e.V.), 3 aircraft destroyed, 1 damaged, 3 WIA
I./ZG 101: no claim, 4 aircraft destroyed

The database of Lufwaffe summary losses confirm 8 losses to enemy aircraft for I./ZG 76 and 2 other damaged also by gunfire from enemy aircraft. II./ZG 76 8 destroyed and 2 damaged were also all due to gunfire from enemy aircraft, as is the only I./ZG 101 listed (instead of 4 above). The database has also no entry for III./ZG 76 for this date (and actually no entry at all for this Gruppe).

[keith A]

Yep, but on 6 March 1944? On 16 March it looks like ZG76 suffered massive losses. Were the 4th FG claims on 16th rather than 6th?

[Merlin]

The aircraft listed by Laurent for 6.03.44 were all Bf 110G, no Me 410 was lost taht day in air combat.

On 6.03.44 II./ZG 26 lost seven Me 410, a further eleven Bf 110 from ZG 26 and 76 were also shot down.

[Rottler]

Hello Keith,

on May 29, 1944 the ZG 26 encountered a B-24 formation in the area north of Stettin.

Combat losses:
I./ZG 26 4 Me 410 due to enemy action, 1 Me 410 was damaged (emergency landing). 5 crew members were killed, 3 were wounded.

II./ZG 26 1 Me 410 was damaged (emergency landing). The radio operator was killed.

Source: Jagdfliegerverbände Teil 13/I pages 502 and 504.

Regards
Leo