Luftwaffe loss on 14th May1940

[Bernard]

Good afternoon,

Could anyone please let me know if any DO17, Do215 or may be Bf110 was lost or damaged in the vicinity of Sedan between 06h00 and 06h30 in the morning (french time) on the 14th of May 1940.

Many thanks.

Bernard.

[hucks216]

There are mentions of numerous Do-17's from (F)/123, KG 2 & KG 76 being damaged in The Battle OF France Then & Now by Peter D Cornwell with 2 having specific mentions of Sedan (6./KG 2) (one of those was just a crewmember injured due to a round exploding in his gun barrel). The others do have the relevant places mentioned but I'm afraid that I have no idea where they are in relation to Sedan (Neufchateau, Beaumont-en-Argonne, Grandpre, Varennes, Dinant, Charleville, Philippeville, Macon.) Entries for KG 2 do not have the time listed while those for KG 76 have a time of approx 0530.
All Bf-110's mentioned for that day have times in the late afternoon/early evening.

[Pieter H]

If it was specifically between 6.00 and 6.30 a.m. over/near Sedan, I have only one candidate.
At 6.20-6.30 first 4 Moranes of GC III/7 and then 3 Dewoitines of GC I/3 intercepted some 20 Do17Z's of an unidentified unit that raided the Reims area.
One was claimed shot down north of Suippes, but so far this is a non-confirmed claim.

Regards, Pieter

[Bernard]

Good morning,

Many thanks to you for your kind answers.
Pieter this formation of 20 Do17s is exactly the one I am looking for.
May be someone will know wich unit was concerned and if it suffered lost or damaged aircaft during this sortie ?

Best regards.

Bernard.

[robert]

They were probably from I./KG76. One Do 17Z of 3./KG76 was damaged by Flak N of Reims.

Regards

Robert

[Alma Nala]

Hello Bernard.

It is more probable the same Do attacked by Hurricane of 73 Sqn.

I See only KG 76 on the sector, for your hour. Or maybe a Do alone of recce ? ? ?

Best regards

Alain.

[Many Souffan]

Hello Alma Nala

And why not also some Me 110 units ?

In his book "le temps des Cocardes" Pierre Sava a fighter pilot of GC I/3 has written some Dornier (50) protected by Me 110.

Maybe there are also some losses among the Me 110 this 14th may between 5h30 and 7AM (German hour) ? Maybe ?

Thank you

[Pieter H]

The attack of I./KG76 was at 5.30 a.m., and these Do17's indeed were attacked by No 73 Sqn. One a/c of 3. Staffel damaged.
Then at 6.30 a.m. the attack we talk about here. No report by neither GC III/7 nor GC I/3 so far mentions Bf110 escort.
At 8.00 a.m. the next wave came, again Do17's of an unknown unit but this time escorted by Bf110's. No 1 Sqn claimed two of those, but unconfirmed.

Since II./KG3 was active a bit later, II./KG76 was active over Dinant and KG2 only active after 12.00, I would guess these two actions around 6.30 and 8.00 a.m. were by either KG3 (I./ or III./) or III./KG76.

Regards, Pieter

[robert]

Hi,

from FB of Seuffert 5./KG76:
09.00-11.00 and 17.17-19.00 hrs.

Regards

Robert