Sample pages A - wing leader

15 August 1940 Bf110D-0/B Wn.3341 S9+CK 2/EproGr210
Hawkhurst, Kent. 19.10 hrs.
The crew took off from Denain aerodrome. They bombed Croydon aerodrome prior to being attacked
by fighters, the wireless operator being wounded and the undercarriage damaged. The pilot managed to
make a forced landing damaging the engines and airscrews.
ID: 69059, AW: -, FP: -.
Ff: Obltn Alfred Habisch.
Bf: Uffz Ernst Efner wounded.
ID disc was identified as a Dornier Do17 unit.
The aircraft was exhibited at Hendon and in a London street, to raise money for the Spitfire Fund. It
was later shipped to Los Angeles, aboard the SS Montanan in April 1941, where it was reassembled and
evaluated by the Vultee Aircraft Company.
15 August 1940 Bf110D-0/B S9+ - K 2/EproGr210
Ightham, Kent. 19.05 hrs.
Believed to have been shot down by fighters while targeting Croydon aerodrome, crashed and burnt
out. The pilot baled out.
AW: -, FP: -.
Ff: Ltn Helmut Ortner.
Bf: Ogefr Bernhard Lohmann 53585/125 +. CC 1/246.
Left: A rare in-flight
photo of S9+CK which was
shot down at Hawkhurst
on 15 August 1940. The
pilot Obltn Alfred Habisch
(below) managed to
get his aircraft down
successfully, giving the
RAF the chance to later
exhibit the 110 to the
public in London.
Left and opposite page:
The British public get to
see a real enemy aircraft
for the first time at close
quarters.
Above: A rare colour still of the
EproGr210 emblem on the nose of
S9+CK, filmed in the USA where it
was being evaluated by the Vultee
Aircraft Corporation.
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15 August 1940 Bf109E-4/B Wn.1910 Yellow 3+ 3/EproGr210
Lightlands Farm, Frant, Sussex. 19.10 hrs.
Took off from Calais-Marck aerodrome to attack Croydon aerodrome. The pilot baled out following an
attack by British fighters, before the aircraft dived in flames into an orchard and disintegrated.
Markings: 3 in yellow.
Engine: DB 601.
AW: Köln, 5/8/40, FP: L 33858.
Armament: remains of two MG17 machine guns and two 20 mm shell guns found. One piece of armour
recovered.
Air Intelligence reported that the aircraft had no bomb racks fitted as they did not identify any in the
wreck. However, fellow Erprobungsgruppe 210 pilot Otto Hintze recalled that they flew in the role of
fighter-bomber and their Bf109s did carry bombs to attack Croydon.
Ff: Ltn Horst Marx 53581/29.
The ID disc was of 1/ZG1.
Above: Yellow 3 sitting in
dispersal in France shortly
before being shot down
over England on 15 August
1940.
Below: Ltn Horst marx
poses for the camera,
note the bomb rack under
the 109’s fuselage.
Above: Horst marx
poses in in front of an
EproGr210 Bf110, the
emblem can be seen
just behind his head.
AiR inTELLiGEnCE nOTE: KAmpFGRUppE 210. EpROBUnGSGRUppE 210 - EpROGR 210.
This unit was formed at Lille around 10th May 1940, with the first operation taking place on the 13th
July 1940, specialising in attacking convoys in the English Channel, before spearheading attacks on
important ground targets in England. Some personnel were drawn from ZG1, subsequently spending
time training in Denmark, where two Messerschmitt Bf110s were lost during dive bombing practice.
The unit comprises of three Messerschmitt Bf110s in a Gruppen Stab and three Staffeln of nine
aircraft each. Staffel 1 and 2 are equipped with Messerschmitt Bf110s, six of the aircraft from each
Staffel having been equipped with bomb racks, the three remaining aircraft being ordinary Zerstörers
used for fighter protection of the bombers, the third Staffel is equipped with Messerschmitt Bf109s
which are also used for fighter escort duties and free-lance patrols. All the Messerschmitt Bf110s have
a shield painted on them with a map of England and Northern Ireland in red, which has a yellow ring
and crosswire sight superimposed over it.
Note: The above was established by RAF Air Intelligence in 1940, but it is now known from Luftwaffe
documents that:
Erprobungsgruppe 210 officially came into existence on 1st July 1940 at Köln-Ostheim airfield.
The initial complement of aircraft was as follows:
Gruppenstab: Bf 110 D-0/Bs freshly supplied from the factory.
1. Staffel: Bf 110 C-6s brought from 1./ZG 1 upon transfer.
2. Staffel: Bf 110 D-0/Bs freshly supplied from the factory.
3. Staffel: Bf 109 E-4/Bs freshly supplied from the factory.
1. Staffel got its initial batch of fighter-bombers during the first week of August, and flew its first
mission with fighter-bomber Bf 110s on 11th August.
The unit emblem did not have a ‘shield’ as a background, but was painted directly over the camouflage.
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15 August 1940 Bf109E-4 2+ 5/JG51
At sea - off Margate, Kent. 15.30 hrs.
While on a ‘Freie Jagd’ mission got into combat with fighters and ditched onto the sea.
ID: -, AW: -, FP: L 04649.
Ff: Fw Otto Steigenberger. EKII.
The pilot gave his Geschwader Kommodore as Oberst Osterkamp and his Staffelkapitän as Hauptmann Diepzen.
15 August 1940 Bf109E-4 9/JG54
‘Hadding Hall Farm’, Hartley, near Cranbrook, Kent. 19.30 hrs.
Believed to have been hit by AA fire, dived into a wood and destroyed.
One complete section of bulkhead armour 8 mm thick found amongst the wreckage.
AW: -, FP: L 51578.
Ff: Uffz Friedrich Niedermaier 51578/10 +. CC 1/77.
15 August 1940 Do17Z-2 5K+LP 6/KG3
At sea - one mile east of Reculver, Kent. 15.30 hrs.
While on bombing operations to targets in the Thames Estuary, shot down by fighters and crashed into the sea.
AW: -, FP: -.
Ltn Heinz Kringler 51593/34 +. CC1/418.
Uffz Herbert Depenheuer +. CC 1/419. Body recovered at Minster, Kent.
Ogefr W Duda 51593/12.
Gefr Oscar Rohleder 51593/20 +. Ramsgate, Kent.
Unit assumed from aircraft code.
15 August 1940 Do17Z-2 5K+ - P 6/KG3
At sea - off Deal / Ramsgate, Kent. 16.00 hrs.
Shot down by fighters during bombing operations targeting the Thames Estuary, the crew baled out
prior to the aircraft crashing into the Channel.
ID: 51593, AW: grey, Schweinfurt, 30/1/40, FP: -.
Ff: Lt Hans-Eberhard Walter.
Fw F Schauer.
Uffz E Kirchubel.
Uffz A Pieronczyk.
15 August 1940 He111H-4 1H+ MH 1/KG26
At sea - Cresswell Bay, Northumberland. 14.00 hrs.
While on bombing operations to Middlesbrough, intercepted and shot down by fighters. Crashed into
the sea and the crew managed to inflate and get into their life raft prior to being rescued.
ID: 62712 & 53557, AW: -, FP: -.
Ff: Uffz Willi Zimmermann 53557/68.
Bo: Obltn Rudolf Roch 62712/76.
Bf: Gefr Erwin Kulick 53557/65.
Bm: Gefr Alwin Machalett 62712/64.
Bs: Flieger Ernst Heinrichsen 62712/72.
Unit assumed from ID disc 62712; 53557 was of II/KG28.
15 August 1940 He111H-4 1H+FS 8/KG26
At sea - thirty miles east of Middlesbrough. 14.00 hrs.
Targeting Middlesbrough but attacked by fighters before reaching the objective and jettisoned bomb load
of four 250 kg, one 500 kg and incendiary bombs before crashing into the sea. All the crew were rescued.
Right: Although of poor
quality, this photo shows
4D+KL shortly after crash
landing with the fire
taking hold of the cockpit
area.
Below: The fire eventually
destroyed the entire
centre section leaving
little for the RAF
intelligence officers to
find.
AW: -, FP: L 20758.
Ff: Fw Fritz Baldauf 51904/98.
Bo: Ltn Adolf Renner 51904/97.
Bf: Ogefr Wilhelm Rössiger 51904/94.
Bm: Gefr Walter Lorenz 51904/99.
Bs: Uffz Christoph Schumann 51904/26.
15 August 1940 Ju88A-5 4D+KL 3/KG30
Hamilton Hill Farm, Barnstown, nr Bridlington, Yorkshire. 13.25 hrs.
Took off from Aalborg. Bombed Driffield aerodrome prior to being shot down by fighters and making
a forced landing.
ID: 53557 & 53558, AW: -, FP: -.
Ff: Uffz Ludwig von Lorentz.
Bo: Uffz Heinrich Kenski.
Bf: Ogefr Heinrich Prumann.
Bm: Gefr Johann Gobel.
The ID discs were all for II/KG28.
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15 August 1940 Ju88A 4D+ - M 4/KG30
Auburn Farm, Fraisthorpe, nr Bridlington, Yorkshire. 13.30 hrs.
While on operations to bomb Driffield aerodrome, Yorkshire, attacked by fighters and crashed. Aircraft
completely destroyed on impact with the ground and burnt.
AW: -, FP: L 26681.
Ff: Fw Rudolf Bihr +. CC 3/367.
Bo: Fw Robert Pohl 62748/15 +. CC 3/367.
BF: Uffz Severin-Günther Kürsch 62748/23 +. CC 3/363.
Bm: Uffz Arnulf-Georg Neumeyer +. CC 3/365.
Unit assumed from ID disc and Feldpostnummer.
15 August 1940 Ju88A 4D+DR 7/KG30
Bridlington Reservoir, Yorkshire. 13.30 hrs.
Took off from Aalborg to attack aerodromes in Yorkshire (Driffield), with
four 250 kg bombs but did not reach objective before being shot down by
fighters and carrying out a forced landing.
ID: 62755, AW: -, FP: L 30121.
Ff: Obltn Werner Bachmann.
Bo: Uffz Werner Evers.
Bf: Fw Georg Henneske 62756/60 +. CC 3/369.
Bm: Flieger Robert Walther.
Above: Soldiers pick
through the remains of
the 4/KG30 Ju88 which
crashed at Auburn Farm
near Bridlington.
Below: 4D+DR lies in a
field near Bridlington
Reservoir. The aircraft
was subsequently put on
display in the local area
as can be seen in the
photos opposite.
15 August 1940 He115C Wn.3251 S4+BH 1/KuFlGr506
‘Faldiehill’, Panmure Estate, west of Arbroath, Angus. 04.04 hrs.
While low flying, the pilot was dazzled by searchlights and flew into a hillside, spreading wreckage
over three fields but did not catch fire.
Markings: B in white. Shield; blue-grey, with three black and white birds.
Armament: two MG15, two MG17 found in wreckage and a cannon marked ‘MG151 14.99 Madsen’
was found in an adjacent field. One bomb dropped near by. No armour plate found.
ID: -, AW: white, Kiel, 21/2/40, FP: -.
Ff: Ofw Rudolf Holfert +. CC 4/7.
Bo: Ltn zur See Hans Eberhardt Tonne very seriously injured.
Bf: Fw Paul Schroers 73038/3 +. CC 4/5.
The unit was assumed from the aircraft code.
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