ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 230427
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| Date: | Wednesday 23 February 1944 |
| Time: | 00:35 LT |
| Type: |  Junkers Ju 188 E-1 |
| Owner/operator: | 6./KG 2 Luftwaffe |
| Registration: | 260312 |
| MSN: | U5 + IP, gelbe I |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 4 / Occupants: 5 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Location: | White House Farm, Stebbing, Essex, England -
 United Kingdom
|
| Phase: | Combat |
| Nature: | Military |
| Departure airport: | Münster-Handorf airfield (G) |
Mission: Attack on London, England.
Location: White House Farm, Stebbing, Essex, England. (M1143)
Pilot: Unteroffizier. Reinhard Elster. 358405/57 - Killed. Born 19.06.1920 in Braunschweig.
Observer: Obergefreiter. Harry Dornio. 358598/57 - Killed. Born 08.12.1925.
Radio/Op: Feldwebel. Adolf Heimann. 358425/57 - Captured. Born 08.12.1919 in Dortmund.
Gunner 1. Feldwebel. Bernhard Gronau. 02562/60 - Killed. Born 17.05.1920 in Langenau.
Gunner 2 Unteroffizier. Ernst Neu. 358597/57 - Killed. Born 20.04.1919 in Wesel.
REASON FOR LOSS:
This aircraft was shot down by 3.7in AA guns from site C13 from 16,000 ft.
Started from Münster-Handorf airfield at 23:09 hrs, carrying ten 50 kg incendiaries internally and two large incendiary bomb containers externally, to attack London.
The aircraft was hit in the port engine by AA and after a steep dive crashed and burned out.
The wireless operator managed to bale out at 500 metres, the rest of the crew were killed in the crash. It is believed the pilot was trying to make a belly landing but came in too steeply. A bomb exploded destroying all but the tail end of the fuselage.
Markings: Squadron markings; the U5 was painted in dark grey letters 5 inches high. The letters IP were in black, outlined in yellow. Painted on the fin was the works number 260312 and aircraft letters IP.
Engines: BMW 801.
An interesting point was the recovery of an elevator counter balance weight made of glass.
It was 10 inches long and 5¾ inches wide x 3 inches deep and weighed approximately 15 lbs.
Burial detail:
Those who perished now rest in the German Soldatenfriedhof at Cannock Chase, Staffordshire, England. Block 1 Graves 191, 192 & 185, 186.
Researched and compiled by Melvin Brownless, with special thanks to Nigel Parker and Julian Evan-Hart.
Sources:
Luftwaffe losses aircrewremembrancesociety3.com
Blitz T&N, s.340; Balke, KG2, II, s.480
Media:
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 05-Nov-2019 20:40 | TigerTimon | Added |
| 05-Nov-2019 20:42 | TigerTimon | Updated [Source, Narrative] |
| 05-Nov-2019 20:45 | TigerTimon | Updated [Cn] |
| 26-Mar-2020 15:23 | DB | Updated [Operator, Departure airport, Operator] |
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