Do18 captured off Murman coast 20 June 1941

[BrianC]

Hi guys

A strange one!

A Soviet report stated that a Do18 (or possibly Do24) was intercepted off the Murman coast (Soviet Far North) by two I-16s, which fired at the seaplane before it was forced to alight in Guba-Gryaznaya harbour, on 20 JUNE 1941.

I've been unable to find any reference to this. Can anyone advise, please?

Cheers
Brian

[James A Pratt III]

Luftwaffe-zur-see.de has nothing for this date and location. You might want to give it a look through.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello Brian,

Originally Posted by BrianC

Hi guys
A Soviet report stated that a Do18 (or possibly Do24) was intercepted off the Murman coast (Soviet Far North) by two I-16s, which fired at the seaplane before it was forced to alight in Guba-Gryaznaya harbour, on 20 JUNE 1941.

Maybe date is incorrect?
In the multi-volume declassified "Chronicle..." I see only the following:

Air alert at 16:45-17:00. Unknown aircraft was shelled by 5.OZAD (AA battalion) over Vaenga.

Best regards,
Andrey

[igorrB]

There is obscure mention about this case in war diary 72 SAP:
14.58 enemy plane Do-24 appear on south part of aerodrome. Element of I-153 started.
17.35 from west side of aerodrome Do-18.
17.36 72 battery opened fire.
17.40 enemy plane fly perpendicular to aerodrome, distance 14 km, releases pigeons (?perhaps some illegible text and autor means smtg like "blue smoke"
17.40 duty officer VVS SF: plane must be landed by using force
17.42 3 I-153, I-16 took off
17.55 72 battery reported: plane fly to sea, distance 22 km
17.58 2 I-16 attacked enemy plane and take them to aerodrome
18.15 I-16 escorted enemy plane to aerodrome Grjaznaja
18.34 all planes down (source: A. Mardanov, "1941.
No mention about plane's fate, or even what is was. Looks like all went to NKVD archive. I think Do was released next day, so this machine not present in loss-list.

[Andrey Kuznetsov]

Hello Igor,

Strange that episode in question wasn't included into Chronicle.
Apparently it is the specific of the last pre-war days.

Best regards,
Andrey

[igorrB]

Mardanov also found nothing besides cited short report.

[BrianC]

Hi Igor, Andrey and James

Thanks for your responses. It was from Mardanov's book that I extracted the information. One would therefore assume that it was a case of mis-identification and that the seaplane was actually from the Northern Fleet.

Thanks once again

Brian