Dornier 17 interned in Switzerland

[Pawel Burchard]

Can anyone supply details on Do 17Z and its crew from KG 2 interned in Switzerland in April 1940?

Regards,
Pawel

[Peter Cornwell]

Saturday, April 20

Stab III./KG2 Dornier Do17Z-3. Lost bearings during night sortie and landed at Basle-Birsfelden in Switzerland. Lt H. von der Groeben, Uffz O. Hermann, Uffz W. Schweinoch, and Uffz W. Böke interned. Aircraft U5+BD a write-off.
This aircraft was interned, made airworthy, and later flew in Swiss markings. But with the cessation of hostilities in France, it was returned to Germany when Oberlt Reinhard Hausin flew it from Altenrhein to Friedrichshafen on 19 September 1940. The crew was repatriated to Germany on 28 June 1940 at Stetten-Lörrach.

[Pawel Burchard]

Thank you Peter.

Regards,
Pawel

[Pawel Burchard]

Is the Werknummer of this 17Z known?
Also there seems to be another Dornier - Do 17M (coded 54+...) interned in Switzerland. Any details on this one?

[George Hopp]

The Do 17 Z-3, the W.Nr. is unknown, was hardly a write-off. Almost out of fuel, the a/c first circled and then landed at Basle/Birsfelden. It slightly damaged its rear fuselage and right rudder when it ran over some obstacles. But, it was healthy enough to take-off at 18:00 for Duebendorf escorted by 3 Bf 109s.

No Do 17M was shown as interned in Switzerland during WW2, according to Karl Ries's "Deutsche Luftwaffe ueber der Schweiz 1939-1945." With a coding of 54+?? it would probably have been operational before 1939.

[Peter Cornwell]

George,

A word of clarification is clearly required about the entry quoted in my earlier posting. This is extracted from my forthcoming book The Battle of France Remembered and somewhat unclear when viewed out of that context - 'write-off' descriptive of the aircraft state to the Luftwaffe at the time of its loss. As the footnote, and your posting, makes clear the aircraft itself was still airworthy.

[sveahk]

In July. 1937, at an international Air-meeting at Dübendorf, Switzerland, a Do 17M V1 (D-AELE, later GL+AL?) won its category. Pilot Major Polte. http://www.flugzeugmodellbauer.de/ga...ier-do-17-m/p/

And according to the abovementioned Ries book a Do 17Z-3, W.Nr. 2663, U5+DL belonging to 3./KG 2, crashed near Lake Sihl in Switzerland, the crew (Lt. Klaus-Jürgen Schmitz) having left the a/c after it had been fired upon by German flak. This happened on the 13 November, 1940. The wreck was transported back to Germany.

Greetings
Hans

[Pawel Burchard]

Regarding abovementioned Do 17M-1, there is a photograph of it in ancient book by H.J. Nowarra. Caption says that the a/c of K.G. 255 (later K.G. 51) landed in Dübendorf/Sw. due to navigational error (crew of Oblt. Melzer) - no date given. A quick look in W. Dierich's Kampfgeschwader 51 gives Oberstlt. Kurt Mälzer as Kommandeur I./K.G. 255 until March 1938. This could be the same guy. The full a/c code may be 54+E11 or 54+E10.

regards,
Pawel

[George Hopp]

A word of clarification is clearly required about the entry quoted in my earlier posting. This is extracted from my forthcoming book The Battle of France Remembered and somewhat unclear when viewed out of that context - 'write-off' descriptive of the aircraft state to the Luftwaffe at the time of its loss.

Thank you for the clarification, Peter. That 'write-off' comment had me confused because, as you noted further into your note, the a/c was made air worthy and flown away that same day.