Seeking info on He 177 or Ju 188 shot down off Flamborough Head 13/14 June 1943

[garyeason]

Hi, I am trying to research some background for a picture of a Beaufighter VI of 68 Squadron (seconded to 608) that I have been asked to make. In their combat report, the crew said they identified and shot down "1 e/a thought to be He 177", going by its silhouette, in the early hours of 14 June 1943 a few miles east of Flamborough Head in Yorkshire. In his logbook the pilot, F/O Wills, called it a Ju 188. He attacked from dead astern and had a clear shot from 600ft in a clear brightly moonlit sky.

I hope to find any details of the German loss. I know this is a tall order, especially as it happened at sea. I have looked in vain at the Aircrew Remembrance Society and the Kracker Luftwaffe Archive. So I am throwing myself on the experts of this forum in the hope of any leads. Thanks.

[hucks216]

According to Volume 10 of the Luftwaffe Crash Archive that was a Do217E-4 of 5./KG-2 so neither of the stated aircraft.

Werk Nr - 4376
U5+BN

Crew (all lost without trace):
FF Feldwebel Friedrich Sünnemann
BO Unteroffizier Heinz Orschel
BF Feldwebel Gerhard Düre
BS Unteroffizier Heinz Österle

Took off from Soesterberg in The Netherlands for operations against Grimsby. Failed to return and believed to have been shot down by a 68 Squadron Beaufighter off Flamborough Head at 0150.

[Chris Goss]

Too early for He 177s to appear off UK

[Laurent Rizzotti]

And also too early for Ju 188. First loss of one against UK was in October 1943.

[Chris Goss]

Willis was attached to 604 not 608 Sqn; Fg Off Jeremy Howard-Williams and Flt Lt J A Quinton of 604 were detached to 68 Sqn and claimed a Ju 88 damaged the previous night. 37 Do 217s of KG 2 and 33 Ju 88s from KG 6 participated and the only loss was the Sünnemann crew; the only claim that night was by Willis