Seeking photos of of 6./ZG26 Bf110D 3U+EP FL intact in England on 03.09.40 by Lt Walter Manhart and taken to RAE Farnborough

[Larry Hickey]

Hello,

I'm seeking photos of the above a/c, purported to be W.Nr. 3310, that FL alongside a road two miles S. of Maldon Essex on 3 September. Both pilot, Lt Walter Manhart and radio operator were captured, although the latter, Uffz Werner Drews, was severely wounded. The aircraft was transported to RAE Farnborough for evaluation. This would have been the replacement a/c for the 3U+EP that was landed intact in England by Lt Kästner on 18.08.40.

We have this listed in our EoE LW Loss DB as:
"3 September 1940: 6./ZG26 Messerschmitt Bf110D-0 (3310). Both engines disabled in attack by Sub-Lt J.C. Carpenter of No.46 Squadron over Wickford during escort sortie for Do17s of KG2 attack on North Weald and belly-landed on Stud Farm, Mundon, two miles south of Maldon, 10.30 a.m. Possibly also attacked by F/O Count M.B. Czernin of No.17 Squadron. FF Lt Walter Manhart captured unhurt, BF Uffz Werner Drews captured seriously wounded in head - admitted to St Peter's Hospital. Aircraft 3U+EP 100% write-off.
(Note: G-Report says that this is a Bf110C built in 1939. If this is accurate, this can’t be correct as a “D.”)

We have two frames from a film of the salvage dump at Farnborough sometime after this crash, and there include two very poor views of what is probably this a/c. One is of the fuselage almost dead on from the front, with no markings visible. The other shows part of the front of a Bf110 apparently displaying the 6./ZG26 insignia with a double diamond geometric design.

I think it highly likely that other photos exist of this a/c either at the crash site, or later at Farnborough when it was undergoing evaluation.

Manhart originally served with 3./ZG26, where he scored eight victories during the Western Campaign, transferring to II./ZG26, perhaps initially as Gr Adjutant on 13 June 1940. Sometime before mid-August, he apparently transferred to 6 Staffel and had 13 victory claims at the time of his capture. Besides the eight listed with 3./ZG26, the Hans Ring victory list for II./ZG26 lists confirmed claims for him with 6 Staffel on 18.08.40 (x2), 31.08.40 and 02.09.40 (x2). This made him one of the more significant Bf110 "aces" during 1940.

The Larry deZeng/Doug Stankey 2015 LOCS for this pilot says:

"MANHART(MANHARD?), Walter.
20.05.40 Lt., I./ZG 26.
03.09.40 Lt., 6./ZG 26 POW - Bf 110 D (3U+EP) shot down by 46 Sqdn. vic Mundon, S of Maldon.
Credited with one victory."

The EoE 3./ZG26 master roster of personnel, missions and victory claims confirms the correct spelling as Manhart, and reports eight victories with that unit during the WC. The Hans Ring victory lists for I and II./ZG26 report a total of 13 victories for him (8 with 3./ZG26 and 5 with 6./ZG26), so this entry needs correcting and updating.

Can anyone help us find photos or more information on this crew or a/c, or any Bf110 known to have been regularly flown by him with either 3. or 6./ZG26 (a/c code unknown)?