Sample pages A - wing leader

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.
18 19